EDUCATION SYSTEM AFTER 1961 &THE CABINET COMMITTEE 1979

LEGAL ASPECTS IN
EDUCATION
Topic 3
EDUCATION SYSTEM
AFTER 1961 & CABINET
COMMITTEE 1979
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EDUCATION SYSTEM AFTER 1961 &THE CABINET COMMITTEE 1979

EDUCATION SYSTEM AFTER 1961 &THE CABINET COMMITTEE 1979

Education System after 1961 &

CABINET COMMITTEE MMITTEE 1979

TOPIC

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this topic, you should be able to:

Describe the step by step progress in education after 1960

Explain the need of Cabinet Committee in 1979
Summarise the objectives met by the Cabinet Committee

INTRODUCTIO N
The federation of Malaya got united with Sarawak, North Borneo and Singapore on
16th September 1963.In 1965, due to the ethnic issues Singapore got separated from
Malaysia.

Rahaman Talib report (1960) and its recommendations were accepted and formed
the framework of Education Policy 1961.

The policy importantly meant compulsory free education to all, irrespective of

ethnic and cultural differences, a national education curriculum for all, the focus to
adopt national language Malay as the medium of primary and secondary
education.

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and the Language institute were instrumental in the
development of text books, study material in Malaya language and to train the
teachers in Malaya language, in the year 1956 &1958, respectively.

In 1974, Cabinet Committee was formed to assess the progress of implementation

of national education system. In 1976, the education act was extended to Sabah
and Sarawak.

Further progress is well narrated in the topics to follow!!

3.1

Education System after 1961

Post 60s Malaysia has seen some major milestones in the development of
education.

In the existing system of National Schools and national type schools, Malaya
language was made the compulsory language in all national type schools. The
conversion of national schools from English national type schools started from
1968, in batches where first five subjects were taught in Malaya for the age
group 6-9 years. Technical and vocational education division were established
in 1964 to give impetus on the same.

3.1.1

Step by Step development in Education after 1960

Developments after 1960

o 1962, marked the fully assisted primary schools waiving off the school fees.
o Free Primary education was made compulsory irrespective of ethnicity and
culture.
o In 1964, the entrance exam for secondary school was abolished.
o Formal education was extended from the age group of 6 years to 9 years
(Peninsular Malaysia).

o The exam for secondary school was also abolished in Sarawak in the year
1974.
o The same was executed in Sabah in the year 1977.

3.1.2

Major Milestones

Table 3.1: Developments in Education after 1960 and its Objectives

DEVELOPMENT
General Syllabus and Review
committee (1964)
Technical and Vocational education
Division-(1964)

OBJECTIVE
For revision and amendment of old
syllabus by ideating new syllabus.
For emphasis on technical and skill
based development.

Comprehensive education system

for lower secondary (1965)

For single curriculum development for

children in lower secondary.

Source:-www.slideshare.net/Fadzliaton/education-in-malaysia
Figure 3.1.2: Formal Education System 1960

3.2

CABINET COMMITTEE 1979

Malaysia is a multi-racial and multi- cultural nation, smaller as compared to

the other countries in South Asia Pacific Region. Ruled over by British,
Malaysia got its independence in the year 1957. The British Educational
system was inherited post- independence. The racial riots which took place in
the year 1969 were followed by the drafting of new Economic policy. Majorly
in order to reduce the disparity between the various social strata and
especially to remove the poverty.

Education is thought to be a tool which could help bridge the gaps between
the rich and the poor. Some of the milestones which gradually led Malaysia
to its development are listed down below in brief:-

A) The higher education system was given its due importance and one of the
steps towards this way was establishment of the University of Malaya in 1962.
Though it did not help to bring out enrolment of Malaya students, but the
other communities have greeted the new university with warm welcome.
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B) The increasing number of Higher Educational Institutions across various

categories like polytechnics and university colleges led to higher number of
educated students in Malaysia.

Though these initiatives were aimed at constructing a new- Equality based

Malaysian model of Education, it didnt work as desired given the multiple
ethnic groups which have equity issues and access issues as well.

Several other steps were undertaken and the policies drafted to make the
environment more conducive to education and in turn to lend access to Higher
Education and equity in learning as well.

One such attempt was formation of a Committee called as Higher Education

planning Committee, in the year 1962 on 26 th September. This Committee was
headed by the then Minister of Education. It was continuation of the tasks
by the Education Committee 1956 as also The Education review committee
1960.

Of course this was in line with the objective of the government to develop the
higher education or tertiary education in Malaysia.

Of the many recommendations proposed the main were the establishment of

some new universities and upgradation of the existing universities and colleges
was made by this Committee in 1967 through Higher education Planning
Committee report.

It also recommended to have more courses which can be taught in the National
Language Malaya. Recommendations also included conversion of College of
Technology to a University which could offer professional courses like Town
Planning etc.

The effects of the recommendations:A) 3 Universities came into existence. National Institute of technology known
as Institute Teknoloji Kebangsaan in Malaya which offered degrees and
other 3 which could now grant diplomas and technical courses. This took
place in the year 1971.

B) National Operations Council which was formed to study the development

of student in the University of Malaya, in the wake of 1969 riots

recommended
a quota system according to the ethnicity of a person. Mainly the two
ethnic groups were considered
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A) Bumiputeras
B) Non- Bumiputera.

Wherein the proportion of the two was in the ratio 55:45. This system was there
in existence until meritocracy replaced it in 2002.

The need of the hour was to cater to the ever increasing educational needs of
the people especially the higher education.

Thus the universities were made to double the intake and this also led to the
encouragement of the Private higher Educational Institutes. Such was the impact
of Higher Education Committee report 1967.

The Drop Out Report 1973 was produced by a Committee which was set up in
order to study the views on education and Society. According to this report, English
medium schools were performing better than the national language Malaya
medium schools. Also the report concludes that the English schools had better
infrastructure than the local medium schools and the teachers were more
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qualified than the others in ethnic schools. It also mentions that the students
from families which belonged to higher income groups were the ones which
could afford the education.

Education is an instrument which can fix in the wide gap of social inequality
as it aims for cultivating the prime sense of national development and unity.
But having said so it is the politicians which are at the apex positions and
handling this instrument.

Political ministers and the likes take decisions and contribute by playing a
significant role in any developmental policy.

Similarly Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, in his term as Education System initialized

and formulated some policies and led the Malaysian Education System to the
new transformational path.

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Y.A.B. Tun Dr.Mahathir Bin Mohamad

Menteri Pendidikan (1974-1978)

3.2.1

Why was Cabinet Committee formed??

The Cabinet Committee was formed in order to study and research on the
implementation and effects of the national Education System.
The purpose of CABINET COMMITTEE: 1979
o In 1979, a committee was headed by Dr Mahathir Mohamed, the then
Education minister.
o The objectives were skilled manpower, unity in the diverse society, and
cultivation of patriotism.
o It aimed at bringing rural and urban education at one level.
o The national economic policy in the wake of 70s brought in important
changes in educational development as well

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o English as a medium of learning in primary schools was abolished in

1975 in Peninsula and Sabah region, the same was followed by Sarawak in
1977.

This was also known as Cabinet Committee Report on review of

implementation of Education policies.

The Cabinet Report 1979 recommended the extension of period of free basic
education from the age of 9 years to 11 years. It also revised the curriculum of
primary school and secondary schools and replaced it with KBSR which is
called as Kurikulum Baru Sekolah Rendah or in English it is The New Primary
School Curriculum.

This was a milestone achieved in the year 1982. This was first tried out in 302
schools which got implemented finally in the year 1983 whereas it was
implemented fully across all the schools in the year 1988.

Reference :-http://www.moe.gov.my/en/hala-tuju-pendidikan

Out of the various initiatives one was decentralizing the education system and
thereby establishing several district level education offices. The objective here
was the smooth functioning of schools.

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The year 1988 also witnessed a second milestone:- New Integrated secondary
School curriculum. With this new subjects got added to the existing
curriculum. The subjects included Moral education, Islamic studies. Subject
like Living skills also found a place in the new curriculum for students of
lower secondary. Upper secondary students had a choice and were categorized
into two academic streams namely the Arts and the Science Stream.

1988 was the year which marked the implementation of KBSM for the
subjects of languages and 1989 marked KBSM implementation for other
subjects. Subject like Living skills was taught from the year 1989 as well.

Reference :-http://www.moe.gov.my/en/hala-tuju-pendidikan

1991 was the final year of the exam SSijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP) which was one
of the public examination.Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination was
introduced for students of form 3 instead. With this the secondary education was
increased to 5 years which in turn meant better and literate countrymen.

This report is still used as guideline for framing any educational policy.
Dr. Mahathir also changed the medium of instruction for Mathematics and
Science into English as it was realised that this is a need to compete at a global
platform in the 21st century.
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There were many issues related to the Mahathir report but still he managed to
implement certain policies which resulted in an educational revolution of
Malaysia.

Some of the issues are mentioned below:A) The debate over the main medium of instruction has been a hovering
problem throughout the History of Malaysian Education System. It is one of
the prominent persistent problems. Education in Malaya in the Malay schools
was lagging in developing the students for international platform. Soon the
problem was realised and resulted in the change in the medium of
instruction to English for atleast subjects like Mathematics and Science in
National Schools. This step was also taken by Dr Mahathir in the year 1990s
standing to the opposition by many people especially rural areas and Malay
Ethnic Groups.

The introduction of racial quotas was also opposed by Non Malay

communities. They sensed a feeling of unfair education system. This has been
again reformed in the 1990s by replacing it with meritocracy.

As a result of cabinet committee report the following milestones were

achieved:a) New Integrated Primary school curriculum was developed in 1983.
b) New Integrated secondary School curriculum was developed in 1989.
c) The National educational Philosophy was ideated in 1988.
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Rapid growth propelled by manufacturing sector Malaysia in its 1980s

witnessed a terrific economic growth. Skilled labour was a need of the hour
now. But there was a dearth of the same. This instead has triggered the
changes and policies which were focused solely on the vocational training of
countrymen. A report was prepared by the Malaysian Cabinet Committee
on training in the year 1991 which catered to the needs of vocational
training and thus led to the re formation of National Vocational Training
Council. The report recommended several changes to overcome the lack of
skilled labour which are mentioned in short:-

A) There should be an improvement in the response from the public training

demands.
B) Wider scope for the private training Institutes.

C) Bridging the gap between the changing technology and the training
imparted.

Thus the various committees were formed and the reports generated.
These were quite useful to understand the underpinnings of the Malaysian
Education System and the lacuna which occurred decades over decades.

DID YOU KNOW

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The name Malaysia is derived from the Tamil

word Malayu, which means mountains.

ACTIVITY

Find out the universities which developed

around 1970s in Malaysia?

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

The Razak Report and the Talib Rahaman report led to the education
policy of 1961.
Give a step by step progress in the

Sixties was an era of transformation.

The federation of Malaya was a union of three more states namely

Sarawak, North Borneo and Singapore and was called Malaysia.

The dream of free primary education became a reality and so the efforts
to make Malaya a national language, were successful.

educational policy development

Malaysia- post 1960s

of

SUMMARY
Learning age group
was extended from 6 years to 9 years.

Vocational education was sought after for skilled man power.

In the years to come, to revisit the progress of the education a committee

was formed under the leadership of the education minister Dr
Mohamed.

The committee aimed at bringing the urban and rural education at par
and was on the lines of the previous reports.

Soon a curriculum was formulated for primary, secondary levels and

National educational policy was17
developed in the 80s, in the new
economic policy.

KEY TERMS
Sarawak
North Borneo
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
The Language institute
The Cabinet Committee

EXERCISES
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Which states got united with the federation of Malaya and When?
2. Who headed the cabinet committee?
3. Which institute was instrumental in teaching Malaya to the teachers?
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Give a brief about the development education policy post 1960?
2. How was English abolished gradually from schools?
3. Why was the Cabinet Committee formed and enumerate the progress after its report?

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