Education Policies and Practices in Malaysia

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of education policies and practices in Malaysia. Over the decades, Malaysia has seen significant policy shifts underpinned by the forces of political and sociocultural demands. While some of these policies may be considered controversial, they portray the direction of development the country is heading. The chapter begins with a broad description of the nature of reforms that have taken place over the last five decades, and an overview of the policy development and implementation process in Malaysia. With the aim of providing historical background and outlining the development and implementation of educational policies in Malaysia, this chapter was divided into sections that specifically discuss each level of education in Malaysia from pre-primary to higher education. Each section delineates the important changes that the government has introduced in its quest to improve the education system of the nation. Some issues have also been highlighted to suggest for further improvement in the development and implementation of education policies in Malaysia.