Introduction to Education Inequality in Malaysia Name of student Name

Education inequality due to socio-economic inequalities II Education disparity due to ethnic segregation III. Education disparity due to lack of resources Suggestion for Bridging the gap 9 I. Curb Ethnic segregation with sound educational, employment and economic policies VII. Education disparity due to lack of resources Suggestion for Bridging the gap 9 I.

Running Head: ENGLISH 1
Education inequality in Malaysia
Name of student
Name of University

ENGLISH 2
Table of content
Outline ……….…………………..…….. 3
Introduction ....…………………………….… 6
Factors that contribute to education equality…………………………… 6
I. Education inequality due to socio-economic inequalities
II Education disparity due to ethnic segregation
III. Education variation based on rural areas
IV. Education discrimination due to the English language
V. Education disparity due to lack of resources
Suggestion for Bridging the gap ……………………………….. 9
I. Become a highly developed nation by 2020
II. Take a cue from developed countries
III. Completely revamp Malaysia’s education system
IV. Improve English speaking and writing skills among students
V. Maintain the quality of education
VI. Curb Ethnic segregation with sound educational, employment and economic
policies
VII. MOE programs for English, Science, Mathematics
VIII. A bilingual system of education
Conclusion ………………………….. 12

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Essay Outline
Introduction
1. Assignment statement
2. Malaysian state policies
3. Malaysian education system
Factors that contribute to education equality
I. Education inequality due to socio-economic inequalities
1. Higher socio-economic status leads to higher educational attainment
2. Race-based quota system bars many deserving students to get admission
II. Disparity due to ethnic segregation
1. Malaysian ethnic identification
2. Highly politicized and ethicized education
3. Ethnic is a deep-rooted problem in Malaysia’s education system
III. Education variation based on rural areas
1. Malaysian
2. highly
3. Ethnic
IV. Education discrimination due to the English language
1. Lessons in English in most private institutions
2.Ddisparity seen between rural and urban schools for subjects like Mathematics
and science
V. Education disparity due to lack of resources
1. lack of required facilities, shortage of teachers, and shortage of learning
material.
2. low appreciation among rural parents towards education
3. Inadequate infrastructure

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Suggestion for bridging the gap
I. Become a highly developed nation by 2020
1. “Soaring Upwards” program for Malaysians
2. Improve both public and private universities with aggressive marketing in
education
II. Take a cue from developed countries
1. No-cost high-quality education to its young citizens
III. Completely revamp Malaysia’s education system
1. Promote special secondary schools for the Malay and non-Malay students.
2. Plan effective educational mobilization to lower ethnic polarization.
IV. Improve English speaking and writing skills among students
1. Emphasize science, mathematics, English teaching
2. More relevant and appropriate curriculum
V. Maintain the quality of education
1 Offer quality education
2 Strengthen the partnerships
VI. Curb Ethnic segregation with sound educational, employment and economic
policies
1. Create common platform for different ethnic groups
2. Promote Information communication and technology in rural Malaysian
classrooms Conclusion
VII. MOE programs for English, Science, Mathematics
1. SEAMEO training for school principals, lecturers, instructors
2. Promote distance learning approach

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3. Expand the knowledge base with electronic sources
VIII. A bilingual system of education
1. Proficiency in English
2. Collaborations with foreign educational institutions
3. Partnerships with private and business sectors
IX. Conclusion
Summary of the essay

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Introduction
Quality and equality in education are possible when a country encourages uniform
participation patterns and resources for education that promote steady social and economic
development. Sociologists believe that some countries lack behind in education as because of the
unequal distribution of educational resources. Malaysia, which is a multiethnic country, faces the
issue of education inequality. Students of ethnic minorities and from rural schools are devoid of
educational resources and benefits like scholarships and grants available. As a result, there is a
growing gap between urban and rural schools.
British colonial history, ethnic politics, and Malaysian state policies have left their mark
on the Malaysian schooling and education system (Joseph, 2008). Social exclusion and inclusion
are not uncommon within the Malaysian education system and schools that vary in terms of
funding, resources, and community support. The economic and social imbalance one sees in
Malaysia today is the result of the British colonial legacy and the contemporary ethnic politics
over the centuries.
Factors that contribute to education equality
I.Education inequality due to socio-economic inequalities
Educational opportunities are often linked to the socio-economic background, and any
disparities in socio-economic backgrounds can lead to issues in the problems of educational
inequality. Thus, education and economic growth have long been said to have an essential
relation. Malaysian Census is an essential source of socio-economic data and gives direction to
the government in terms of planning and development in health care, education, housing, and
employment (Yaakob, 2006). Recent research suggests that schooling cost in urban and rural
areas shows that parents with higher socio-economic status and educational attainment spend
more on their children’s education (Hassan & Rasiah, 2011). Poverty in rural areas does not

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allow the parents to spend more extra tuition and books, which are essential for better
educational outcomes.
II. Education disparity due to ethnic segregation
The Malaysian population is on a steady rise, and so is the urbanization process. The
Population Census report on literacy rates shows that the literacy rates lowest among ethnic
groups (Yaakob, 2006). Malaysian ethnic identification comprises of three major groups, Malay-
Muslims, Chinese, and Indians (Joseph, 2008). However, when these ethnic groups are studied,
they reflect various imbalances in terms of social, educational, and economic magnitudes. The
root cause can be traced to the highly politicized and ethicized education and schooling system
within Malaysia. Malay-Muslims are the largest ethnic group in Malaysia, who monopolize the
public and government segments. All Malays are Muslims, and Islam is the official religion,
while Malay is the national language of the country. The Indians lag behind Malays and Chinese
socially, economically, and educationally (Joseph, 2008). Ethnic segregation is a deep-rooted
problem in Malaysia’s education system, and the continuing ethnic segregation obstructs ethnic
interaction and education. What add to the barriers of inter-ethnic interactions are diverse
languages, cultures, and religions. Moreover, there is a rural-urban divide among certain ethnic
groups (Raman & Sua, 2010). Chinese reside mostly in urban areas while Indians are dispersed
in rural estates.
III. Education variation based on rural areas
Malaysia’s geography also creates significant challenges for educators as the country is
made of numerous islands. The educational variation in terms of quality and attainment varies
not just among the ethnic groups but also amongst diverse regions. Malays born in the eastern
and northern states had fewer years of schooling. The eastern and northern states, which are also
known as the Malay Belt, are the Malays predominant states, as stated by Raman & Sua (2010).
Many of those rural find it hard to connect to the main islands and education and access to
information in these areas depends on the surrounding terrain and proximity to a major city.
Remote sites and rural areas rely entirely on government funding for any resources, unlike the
urban areas where there are plenty of commercial partners that supply the technologies and the
equipment (Abdul Rahim, 2004). A case study in Sabah shows that education inequality is
always higher in rural areas than the urban areas (Chin Tan, Mun Ho & Pang, 2017). It means
that the higher the number of rural schools in an area, the higher are the inequality tends in

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education, when compared to urban schools. There is a widening gap between urban and rural
schools. According to Halili & Sulaiman (2017), the use of Information communication and
technology is looked upon as a vital component for social development and economic growth.
Malaysia faces the issue of a digital breach between rural and urban students. Several challenges
exist for the rural communities when it comes to using Information communication and
technology because of the technical, financial, and social restraints.
IV.Education discrimination due to the English language
Education in most private institutions conduct lessons in English while the public
institutions of higher learning teach mainly in Malay. Research on Malay students in rural
schools shows that the students did not perform well in English language skills and rarely used
the language outside the classrooms. It is their lack of awareness regarding language learning
strategies that keep them behind in English skills (Marwan, Sumintono, & Misla, 2012). When it
comes to subjects like Mathematics, a substantial disparity is seen between rural and urban
schools. Most schools in Malaysia do not provide adequate teaching and learning in
Mathematics. This is a troubling situation as English is an important medium of instruction for
teaching essential subjects like science and mathematics as asserted by Marwan, Sumintono, &
Misla (2012).
V.Education disparity due to lack of resources
Certain factors contribute to inequality of learning opportunities in rural areas like lack
of required facilities, shortage of teachers, and shortage of learning material. Many students
living in remote areas are not able to reach schools due to lack of transportation system
(Sadiman, 2004). The inequality of learning gets further magnified because of low appreciation
among parents towards education. For poor families living in rural areas, getting an education is
not very urgent. Several factors come into play, such as the lack of resources, high turnover of
teachers, shortage of English, mathematics, and science teachers in rural schools. The
infrastructure is often inadequate, and at times the schools do not have primary resources like
electricity and water (Marwan, Sumintono, & Misla, 2012). Despite the extensive efforts and
financial support by the government, such as upgrading learning facilities, providing trained
teachers in rural schools and build computer laboratories, the disparities remain. This is because
the parents in rural areas still have to bear some costs of schooling (Hassan & Rasiah, 2011).
Clearly, the students living in rural locations are disadvantaged when compared to those living in

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urban locations. This is primarily because of the lower parental educational skills and financial
constraints that act as a hurdle in their children’s education.
Suggestions for Bridging the gap
Human source development holds the key to developing the whole nation, and it is only
the knowledge-based economy that can operate successfully in a global market environment. The
right to education is considered very important for the development of human resources.
However, it is indeed a challenge to offer quality education and learning opportunities to all
children so that they can enjoy quality education. Many developing countries provide free and
compulsory education. However, those efforts in Malaysia have failed to curb the divide between
rural and urban areas education.
I. Become a highly developed nation by 2020
Malaysia aims to become a highly developed nation by 2020 based on high-quality
human capital that can play an instrumental role in boosting its economic growth. Prime Minister
announced the “Soaring Upwards” program for Malaysians to accelerate the growth of an
educated workforce (Selvaratnam, 2016). Malaysian higher education system is expected to
create highly trained graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. When
public and private universities are compared in Malaysia, it is seen that public universities are
considered to be of higher quality in terms of education. In general, Malaysian families prefer
public universities as they are superior in terms of teaching staff, are more research-based and
have better campuses (Wilkinson & Yussof, 2005). However, private universities are operated by
business companies who are more aggressive in marketing education.
II. Take a cue from developed countries
As stated by Selvaratnam (2016), Malaysia can take a cue from developed countries like
Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Norway and others who have excelled at the education
frontiers by providing no-cost high-quality education to its young citizens. Structured quality

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education in Malaysia right from preschool to the tertiary level can exploit the demographic
potential of the country. The policymakers need to focus on those inequality issues and work on
those areas to improve the quality of education, especially in rural areas as asserted by Chin Tan,
Mun Ho & Pang (2017). Racially insulated environments within a multiethnic society create an
atmosphere of heterogeneous situations with complexity. Educational segregation only reinforces
those prejudices and hostility against each other in ethnic groups (Raman & Sua, 2010).
III. Completely revamp Malaysia’s education system
Malaysia’s education system needs to be completely revamped by the government. It
should make efforts to promote special secondary schools for the Malay and non-Malay students.
Increasing the number of Malay students in private higher institutions can help curb reduce
ethnic segregation (Raman & Sua, 2010). Educational planners should plan effective educational
mobilization that can lessen ethnic polarization. University education in the Malaysian context
considered to be a symbol of self- advancement and is highly valued. A university degree is seen
as a gateway to a higher status, better job, and lifelong security. However, when one compares
the rural-urban schooling performance in Malaysia, the disparities have remained a problem.
Despite the government development fund for education, the divide between rural and urban
areas remains.
IV. Improve English speaking and writing skills among students
Students who lack English speaking and writing skills, face competency challenges,
particularly in the STEM disciplines (Selvaratnam, 2016). Their lack of command over English
prevents them from acquiring higher education and getting excellent opportunities for
employment. Most Malaysian public universities lack proficiency in the English language, and
that can impede the acquisition of quality education. The target of the Malaysian government is
to emphasize science, mathematics, English teaching to improve achievement among children
(Sadiman, 2004). As there is still a shortage of capable teachers for teaching science and
mathematics, more teachers need to be trained. The curriculum can be revised to make it more
relevant and appropriate. The school principals, teachers, and other personnel can be further
trained to meet this goal. The profession of teaching in rural areas can be made more attractive
with higher salaries and better perks. In Malaysia, there are already plans to provide housing to

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teachers in rural areas.
V. Maintain the quality of education
The problem is not just about providing education but offering quality education, and one
of the major challenges faced by countries like Malaysia is to maintain the quality of education
(Sadiman, 2004). Malaysia is progressing towards financing education between the private sector
and the partnership and strengthening the partnerships to develop human resources. The race-
based quota system that is followed in Malaysia barred many deserving students from middle-
class families to gain admission in public universities and in high-demand courses such as
engineering, dentistry, medicine, and pharmacy while the more affluent families sent their
children abroad from higher education (Selvaratnam, 2016).
V. Curb Ethnic segregation with sound educational, employment and economic policies
Ethnic segregation is a significant issue when it comes to sensitivities of economic
policies, education, and racial issues. The educational, employment and economic policies have
always been in favor of Malays as compared to non-Malays. Chinese language and culture evoke
apprehension among the Malays who favor Islamic education, as asserted by Raman & Sua
(2010). There is a need to create a common platform in Malaysia where all ethnic groups can
interact with each other and develop a higher sense of inter-ethnic integration. There are little or
no inter-ethnic encounters during the entire period of schooling. Rural Malaysian classrooms
should promote the use of Information communication and technology and use it in the
educational field. Sharing and collaboration of information can extend the learning process. As
the students in rural areas surf learning content on the internet without borders, it helps to
broaden their horizon and enhance their understanding (Halili & Sulaiman,2017).
VII.MOE programs for English, Science, Mathematics
Malaysia encourages MOE programs for English, Science, Mathematics and to bridge
gaps between urban and rural children. (Sadiman, 2004). SEAMEO in Malaysia, provide training
for school principals, lecturers, instructors, and teachers and cover area such as science and
mathematics, languages, education management, open learning methodology and more
(Sadiman, 2004). The organization promotes distance learning approach to expand learning
opportunities. A school-based quality improvement approach can empower the schools and give
them more autonomy in participative decision-making. The schools can take essential decisions

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related to school reforms and school-based management to improve the quality of education. It is
essential to work on the quality and availability of textbooks and other learning materials for
students in rural areas. Electronic sources can be encouraged to expand the knowledge base and
bridge the urban-rural gaps. The teaching-learning process should shift to leaner-centered
approach and cater to individual needs and abilities of students. Those efforts can certainly
provide more and better learning facilities to children in schools in rural areas.
VIII.A bilingual system of education
A bilingual system of education can help the students to attain a higher level of
proficiency. Proficiency in English can undoubtedly allow the students to expand their learning
in science and technology (Sadiman, 2004). Another good step is to strengthen collaborations
with foreign educational institutions. Malaysia has already encouraged foreign education to
Malaysians who are able to obtain a foreign degree locally. Further partnerships with private and
business sectors can help to reduce the gap between education and global workforce (Sadiman,
2004).
With a strong political will and right policies, it is possible to make a difference and
bridge the gap of education inequality that exist in Malaysia. Quality in education and student
learning achievement requires motivated students and competent teachers, relevant curriculum,
adequate facilities within a safe learning environment. Engagement with local communities and
cultures, along with participatory governance, can encourage educational facilities in rural areas.
It is essential to create awareness among rural communities regarding the importance of
education with the help of publicity media and mass communication. Rural children can be given
assistance in terms of meeting their needs like uniforms, textbooks, school meals, and stationery.
Scholarships can be given to students for higher education and open education, and distance
learning systems can be encouraged. A multiethnic society Malaysia should take proactive steps
to curb the adverse economic, educational, and cultural climate within the country and curb those
situations that can further exacerbate the already ethnically and rurally charged education
division among the masses.
Conclusion
It is apparent that rural schools in Malaysia have failed to provide better educational
opportunities to the students. It is essential to provide sufficient financial assistance to needy
students from rural areas that can impact their academic performance. The education inequality

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does exist in Malaysia rural schools not aware of scholarships and grants available. The
Malaysian government and relevant authorities should get more aware of the actual conditions of
rural schools in Malaysia. They should take constructive steps towards getting rid of these
problems and revitalize rural schools with appropriate strategies. The government should
emphasize and encourage the use of Information communication and technology and use it as a
valuable tool to promote teaching and learning in rural schools in the 21st century. However, it
remains a challenge to revitalize the rural schools and rural students.
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