Budget 2014: Getting more for Malaysia's education system

What are the most important things needed in next month’s Budget 2014 to boost the nation’s education and consequently its human capital?

With the recently launched Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 being hailed by the government as a comprehensive policy that will get the best returns for the country, Agenda Awani discusses two other equally important aspects: the allocation, and the implementation.

The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) Chief Operating Officer Tricia Yeoh suggested that non-government organisations can take over the management in certain schools while the government can act as regulators.

“There are many example of low cost community schools... in India, and other examples around the world which shows that the private sector can come in and manage the schools, and it has worked," she said.

Yeoh also said that this is in line with the idea of the education blueprint should give more autonomy to schools, with more equity and quality being emphasized as well.

Pointing to the urban-rural, geographical and even a gender divide, Yeoh said: "There are still huge gaps between urban and rural areas. I think it is safe to say that for the lowest income community are also the lowest performers."

“The blueprint is good... but if we are talking about the budget, we need to look at the efficiency the money being spent,” said Yeoh.

Yeoh also supported the idea that there should be more involvement from various players, including those non-governmental parties and private sectors.

“We are very interested in how the private sector can come in... how the non-government actors who are not dependant with the public system, who wants to partner with the government,” she said.

Teach For Malaysia Co-founder Dzameer Dzulkifli said that an important thing that his organisation has found is the question of getting the best out of people.

He said that it was important for Budget 2014 to focus on ‘merit-based policies’. “We need to open up education...allow different players to come on. This does not necessarily a government sanction,” he said.