Pre-University
After the SPM, students would have a choice of either studying
Form 6 or the matriculation (pre-university). If they are
accepted to continue studying in Form 6, they will also take the
Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia or Malaysian Higher School
Certificate examination (its British equivalent is the General
Certificate of Education 'A' Levels examination or
internationally, the Higher School Certificate). Form 6 consists
of two years of study which is known as Lower 6 (Tingkatan Enam
Rendah) and Upper 6 (Tingkatan Enam Atas). The STPM is not
nearly as difficult as the GCE A levels despite similar scope of
its syllabus. Although it is generally taken by those desiring
to attend public universities in Malaysia, it is internationally
recognised and may also be used, though rarely required, to
enter private local universities for undergraduate courses.
Tertiary (University Level)
Tertiary education in the public universities is heavily
subsidised by the government. Applicants to public universities
must have completed the Malaysia matriculation programme or have
an STPM grade. Excellence in these examinations does not
guarantee a place in a public university.The selection criteria
are largely opaque as no strictly enforced defined guidelines
exist.
In 2004, the government formed the Ministry of Higher Education
to oversee tertiary education in Malaysia.
Although the government announced a reduction of reliance of
racial quotas in 2002, instead leaning more towards meritocracy.
However, in 2004, 128 non-Malay or non-Bumiputra students with
excellent results had their applications to study medicine at
public universities denied.
Some foreign universities and colleges have also set up branch
campuses in Malaysia, including:
Monash University, Australia.
The University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
SAE Institute, Australia
Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
Curtin University of Technology, Australia
The net outflow of academics from Malaysia led to a "brain gain"
scheme by then (1995) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir
Mohamed. The scheme set a target of attracting 5,000 talents
annually. In 2004, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister,
Datuk Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis in a parliamentary reply stated that
the scheme attracted 94 scientists (24 Malaysians) in
pharmacology, medicine, semi-conductor technology and
engineering from abroad between 1995 and 2000. At the time of
his reply, only one was remaining in Malaysia.
Postgraduate Programmes
Postgraduate degrees such as the Master of Business
Administration (MBA) and the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
are becoming popular and are offered by both the public
universities and the private colleges.
All public and most private universities in Malaysia offer
Master of Science degrees either through coursework or research
and Doctor of Philosophy degrees through research.
Technical
and Professional Institutions. Besides university
degrees, students have the option of continuing their education
in professional courses such as those offered by the ICSA
(Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators).
Polytechnics in Malaysia provide courses for diploma level (3
years) and certificate level (2 years).
Private
Education Providers
The private education providers in Malaysia can be broadly
categorized into 2 categories depending on the levels of
education offered, which range from pre-school to tertiary
education. The two broad categories of institutions are:
Private
Educational Institutions (PEIs), or private schools, providing
education at preschool, primary and secondary levels
Private Higher
Educational Institutions (PHEIs), providing tertiary education
leading to the awards of Certificate, Diploma and Degree
qualifications
Vocational Programmes and Polytechnics Schools
Besides the university degrees, students also have the option of
continuing their education in professional courses such as the
courses offered by the ICSA (Institute of Chartered Secretaries
and Administrators) etc. Polytechnics in Malaysia provide
courses for diploma level (3 years) and certificate level (2
years).
The following is a list of the public polytechnics in
Malaysia.
Ungku Omar Polytechnic
Politeknik Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah
Politeknik Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah
Politeknik Kota Bharu
Politeknik Kuching Sarawak
Politeknik Port Dickson
Politeknik Kota Kinabalu
Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
Politeknik Johor Bahru
Politeknik Seberang Perai
Politeknik Kota, Melaka (Version)
Politeknik Kota, Kuala Terengganu
Politeknik Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin
Politeknik Merlimau
Politeknik Sultan Azlan Shah
Politeknik Kulim
Politeknik Sultan Idris Shah
Politeknik Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin
Politeknik Muadzam Shah
Politeknik Mukah
Universities produce almost 150,000 skilled graduates annually.
