Education as a commodity for the masses<\/p>\n
By Thong Lay Kim<\/p>\n
The extraordinary growth of higher education in Malaysia will
\npropel the country's industrialization plane.<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE: Since the late 1980s, Malaysia has embarked on an
\nintensive industrialization program in pursuit of its aspiration
\nto become a developed industrialized nation by the year 2020. The
\neconomy has recorded a national growth rate of more than 8
\npercent per annum for the past seven years. The economic boom
\nlooks set to continue unabated into the 21st century.<\/p>\n
In meeting the increasing demand for manpower, Malaysian
\nhigher education is undergoing a dramatic transformation. This
\ntransformation is marked by two related phenomena -
\n"massification" and "commodification" of higher education. Higher
\neducation, which was historically elitist, is now available to
\nthe masses because of its rapid expansion especially with the
\nactive participation of the private sector in the industry. It is
\nalso being marketed as a commodity.<\/p>\n
The massification and commodification of higher education has
\noccurred as a result of the broader process of economic
\nglobalization. This process was first exemplified in America,
\nthen continental Europe and Britain. The trend is now manifesting
\nitself in Malaysia as its economy is rapidly being integrated
\ninto the global market.<\/p>\n
The current shortage of manpower has resulted in the
\nincreasing demand for higher education in Malaysia. This demand
\nis expected to intensify. The overall enrollment of full-time
\nstudents in public institutions is expected to increase by 63
\npercent, from 153,600 in 1995 to 251,100 in the year 2000. Out of
\nthe total of 153,600 overall enrollment in the local public
\ntertiary institutions in 1995, a total of 89,600 were studying in
\nprograms at the degree, post-graduate and advanced diploma
\nlevels. In addition, a total of 50,600 Malaysians were enrolled
\nfor degree programs overseas while 6,100 were enrolled in local
\nprivate institutions. Enrollment in private higher institutions
\ncontinues to rise to meet the manpower shortage of the
\nindustrializing economy.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian government has accorded high priority to
\neducation in nation-building in order to provide a sufficient
\npool of labor which is well-educated, highly-skilled and
\nstrongly-motivated. However, government efforts in the expansion
\nof public tertiary institutions has been inadequate in meeting
\nthe demand. Efforts have to be supplemented by the participation
\nof the private sector. Apart from high demand, a factor that
\nencourages private sector participation in the education industry
\nis that public institutions are usually slow in responding to
\nmarket demand in terms of offering programs in emerging
\ndisciplines. The private sector, by being market-driven, is quick
\nto capture the changing market in manpower needs.<\/p>\n
Since the 1980s, there has been a gradual shift towards
\ngreater private sector initiative and a market-driven economy in
\nMalaysia. Economic liberalism and deregulation linked to the New
\nDevelopment Policy (NDP) formulated in 1990 have led to the
\nextensive participation of the private sector in the education
\nindustry. Thus, the 1980s saw the beginning of a proliferation of
\nprivate colleges in Malaysia. Today, there are about 300 private
\ncolleges registered with the Ministry of Education. Private
\neducation is a thriving business, with active participation by
\nlarge finance corporations and property developers which are
\npublic-listed companies on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.<\/p>\n
The focus of the higher education curriculum has also shifted.
\nInitially, the curriculum focused on the academic disciplines of
\npure arts and sciences, and the professional programs of
\nmedicine, law and engineering. The Malaysian public university
\nwas modeled after the traditional British university which was
\nhistorically elitist, mainly preparing graduates for the public
\nsector.<\/p>\n
Today, the manpower needs of the industrializing economy are
\nmore in the applied disciplines especially in the science and
\ntechnical-related fields, business and management studies, the
\nprofessional fields of engineering, accountancy, and information
\ntechnology and computer studies. A variety of qualifications
\nranging from pre-university or foundation program, certificates,
\ndiplomas, advanced diplomas, degrees and post-graduate degrees
\nare offered in these fields.<\/p>\n
As the status of private colleges do not permit them to grant
\ndegrees, partnership arrangements are made with foreign
\nuniversities in most English-speaking countries (such as Great
\nBritain, the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand) whereby the
\nMalaysian students study partly in the local colleges and then
\ncomplete the rest of the program at the partner universities
\noverseas. Such educational programs are very popular. From the
\nparents' perspective, these twinning programs help to reduce
\ntheir children's educational cost. The tuition fees for the years
\nof study spent in the private local colleges are approximately
\nonly half those charged at the overseas partner universities.
\nAlso, students save on the living expenses which are usually
\nhigher overseas.<\/p>\n
From the country's perspective, the availability of the
\ntwinning degree programs means less of an outflow of Malaysian
\ncurrency overseas because part of the program is carried
\nout locally.<\/p>\n
Apart from twinning programs, there are also credit-transfer
\nprograms, modular programs, distance learning, part-time and
\nweekend programs and so on. The various tertiary programs (some
\neven packaged with financing facilities), are marketed
\naggressively to cater to the different needs of students,
\nincluding mature working students who are looking for
\nprofessional upgrading and a career change. The profile of
\ntertiary students has changed. No one wants to be left behind in
\nterms of qualifications and career advancement in times of an
\neconomic boom.<\/p>\n
The direct economic relationship between higher education and
\neconomic growth is taking priority over the political and socio-
\neconomic restructuring objective of higher education. The present
\neconomic liberalism and deregulation are aimed at boosting the
\ndevelopment of the private sector, including promoting higher
\neducation as an industry. To this end, the legal framework is
\nalready in place.<\/p>\n
Since late 1995, five bills have been passed by the Malaysian
\nParliament to permit major reforms to higher education, namely,
\nthe Education Act, 1995; the Universities and University Colleges
\n(Amendment) Act, 1995 (UUCA); the Private Higher Educational
\nInstitutions Act, 1996 (PHEIA); the National Council on Higher
\nEducation Act 1996 (NCHEA); and the National Accreditation Board
\nBill (NABB) 1996. These bills set the pace for the liberalization
\nof education.<\/p>\n
The amendments to UUCA 1971 provide for the corporatization of
\nthe public universities to enable the institutions to be more
\nresponsive to market demand and hence more competitive in the
\nbusiness of providing higher education. The PHEIA sets the stage
\nfor the establishment of private universities and branch campuses
\nof foreign universities (the establishment of private
\nuniversities was unthinkable not so long ago, when university
\neducation was highly state-regulated).<\/p>\n
In the light of expanding higher education, the National
\nCouncil on Higher Education was established to provide policy
\ndirections and strategies to plan and coordinate the development
\nof both public and private higher education institutions (NCHEA
\n1996). The passage of NABB 1996 culminates in higher education
\nreforms. The Board formulates and oversees policies on standards
\nand quality control in the award of certificates, diplomas and
\ndegrees by private educational institutions.<\/p>\n
The effective implementation of these legislations is crucial
\nin ensuring that students are not short-changed in their
\neducation by the profit motive of the private sector. The
\ngovernment must ensure that social responsibility is discharged
\nby the education providers.<\/p>\n
Additionally, maintaining educational standards and quality
\nare critical in view of Malaysia's aspiration to become a center
\nof educational excellence.<\/p>\n
Higher education is currently being developed further to cater
\nnot only to the domestic market but also as part of an overall
\nstrategy to promote education as an export industry and the
\nmarketing of Malaysia as a center of higher education. The
\nmanpower needs triggered by the current economic boom in Asia
\nconstitute conditions favorable to Malaysia's potential as a
\nregional education center. The higher education institutions in
\nMalaysia are already attracting a number of foreign students from
\nneighboring countries, namely Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei
\nDarussalam, Pakistan, Korea and Japan.<\/p>\n
Dr. Thong Lay Kim is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Education,
\nUniversity of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>",
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