The Educational System in Malaysia
The government offers free education. It is not required. The schools in Malaysia has put up two categories of schools: national schools and national-type schools, in response to the multi-ethnic character of its population. For a total of 41 weeks in a year, schools of all levels operate on a semester system. Several schools in urban centers operate in two shifts: morning and afternoon for the reason that there is a shortage of school space.
There is a rising number of private schools, although most of the primary and secondary schools are operated by the government. They are becoming more and more widespread because they provide students with a greater degree of mobility. They can get out of the private schools and enter the national schools and vice versa at any stage. Such private schools utilize either a Malaysian syllabus or one from an overseas school. Several private schools also propose a 2-year Sixth Form program that prepares the students for admission into local or foreign universities.
Colleges In Malaysia
The Malaysian college diploma system of education consists of four levels: primary, lower secondary, upper secondary and postsecondary schools. Parents have the freedom to choose the type of school, national (Bahasa Melayu) or “nationalist-type” Chinese or Tamil. Students finishing six years of primary education are automatically upgraded to lower secondary level. Those from the “national-type” schools are obliged to devote a year in transition class so that they can acquire adequate knowledge of Bahasa Melayu to be able to follow the instruction. At the primary level, the weight is on the acquisition of great writing and reading skills as well as a better foundation of maths and basic sciences. At the end of the third and the sixth years, two assessment examinations allow an evaluation of the student’s performance.
Those who perform particularly well at the third year examination are regularly permitted to skip the fourth year and go directly to the fifth year. For some specially gifted students interested in specializing in sciences, the government also manages some residential schools offering a stimulating environment. In such schools, there are special facilities for students to develop fluency of English so that they are better able to adapt advanced knowledge in science and technology. In 2000, there were 7,084 primary schools with 2,870,667 students and 150,681 teachers providing a teacher-student ratio of 1:19.
The Ministry of Education’s policy is to strive to assist with the particular needs of the visually and hearing impaired as well as of those with learning difficulties, within the mainstream school system. Special facilities can be given to some students for some time, but the goal is to incorporate them in regular classes as early as possible.
Also, watch this funny video about typical Malaysian students:
In 2000, there were 283 schools that were equipped with special facilities and qualified teaching staff to help incorporate such children within the general school system. Nevertheless, there were 31 “special education schools” for those who need more thorough and personal one-on-one care and attention and who cannot be incorporated into mainstream schools.
A level below an undergraduate degree is how you classify a diploma course. It may be equivalent to a first-year degree in a university. This too is now part of Malaysia’s educational system.