Education System in

Malaysia
Primary and Secondary Education

Primary education (a period of 6 years) and secondary education (5 years

encompasses 3 years of lower secondary and 2 years of upper secondary)

Post-secondary Education
Upon completion of secondary education, students can opt to pursue 1 to 2 years of post-
secondary education. This is the university entrance preparatory course.

Tertiary Education
專上教育

At tertiary education level, institutions of higher learning offer courses leading to the awards of certificate,
diploma, first degree and higher degree qualifications (at academic and professional fields). The duration of
study for a basic bachelor degree programme is 3 years and the courses of study at this level are provided
by both the public and private education sectors, attracting many international students.
 Public Institutions of Higher
Learning
(Government-funded)
Public (government-funded)
institutions of higher learning, for
example :
1) Public universities,
2) Polytechnics,
3) Community colleges,
4) Teacher training institutes.
Private Educational Institutions (PEIs)
Private Higher Educational Institutions
(PHEIs)
(Private-funded)
Provide tertiary education leading to the awarding
of certificate, diploma and degree qualifications.
Private higher educational institutions
(PHEIs), for example,
1) Private universities,
2) Private university colleges,
3) Foreign branch campus universities
5) Private colleges.
 Provide education at preschool, primary and secondary levels.
They comprise private schools and foreign system schools in
Malaysia.

Education System in Malaysia

Gr
Grad ad
e e Age Age
Education School/Level From To From To Years Notes

Primary Primary Year 1 to Year 6 1 6 7 12 6

Middle Level One - Tahap Satu 1 3 13 15 3

Secondary Level Two - Tahap Dua 4 6 16 17 2

Vocational Vocational

Tertiary Tertiary

Primary Education

Only primary school education is compulsory in Malaysia, where multilingual public schools,
private schools and home educators co-exist side by side. Following unregulated preschool
education a child enters primary school at age 7 for a period of 6 years. Following schooling
in the community language of their choice they must sit for their primary school
achievement test in order to qualify to study further.

Secondary Education
There is no identified middle school period although secondary education is divided into 2
phases. Following the first 3 years of general education students write for their lower
certificate of education. Thereafter they enter either the arts or the science stream
according to personal choice and teacher advice for 2 years. Once in that stream though,
switching opportunities are limited. Following this latter period, they may complete 6th
form, or study for a further 2 years for matriculation exemption.

Vocational Education
The department of skills development oversees the establishment and operation of all public
and private training institutions. It has developed almost 1,000 standards for certificate,
diploma and advanced diploma training, and is rolling more out in approximately 20
identified key areas.

Tertiary Education

Controversy continues to surround heavily

subsidized Malaysian tertiary education because of tight quotas that protect the
racial majority. Some progress has been made in the direction of a greater
meritocracy though, and in the interim disadvantaged students have the
opportunity of enrolling at private or foreign branch universities.

The University of Malaya, which evolved from the Federated Malay States
Government Medical School founded in 1905 is the oldest functioning tertiary
institution in the country. Academic staff exceed 2,500 based at 3 campuses.

Grading System in Malaysia

Malaysia GPA calculator

Grading Scales:

Most Common
Grade Scale Grade Description Division US Grade

A 70.00 - 100.00 First Class Honours A

B 60.00 - 69.99 Second Class Honours Upper Division A- / B+

 B- 50.00 - 59.99 Second Class Honours Lower Division B

C 40.00 - 49.99 Third Class Honours B- / C+

Pass B- / C+

F 0.00 - 39.99 Fail F

Malaysian Certificate of Education

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia

Grade Scale Grade Description US Grade

A 1.00 - 1.99 Cemerlang (Distinction) A

B 2.00 - 3.99 Kapujian (Credit) B

C 4.00 - 5.99 Lulus (Pass) C

D 6.00 - 7.99 Lulus (Pass) C-

E 8.00 - 8.99 Gagal (Fail) D

G 9.00 Gagal (Fail) F

Malaysian Advanced Certificate of Education

Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia

Grade Grade Description US Grade Notes

A Excellent A

B Very Good B

C Good B

D Satisfactory C

E Sufficient C Lowest passing grade

F Fail F

University Level
Grade Scale Grade Description US Grade Notes

A+ 90.00 - 100.00 Exceptional A+

A 80.00 - 89.99 Excellent A

B+ 76.00 - 79.99 A-

B 72.00 - 75.99 Good B+

B- 68.00 - 71.99 B
 C+ 65.00 - 67.99 B-

C 60.00 - 64.99 Average C+

C- 56.00 - 59.99 C

D+ 50.00 - 55.99 C-

D 40.00 - 49.00 D+ Marginal Pass

F 0.00 - 39.99 Fail F

International
Any subject with a grade of C-, D or F is deemed to have not met the graduation
requirements, and must be repeated

Grade Scale US Grade

A 85.00 - 100.00 A

A- 80.00 - 84.99 A-

B+ 75.00 - 79.99 B+

B 70.00 - 74.99 B

B- 65.00 - 69.99 B-

C+ 60.00 - 64.99 C+

C 55.00 - 59.99 C

C- 50.00 - 54.99 C-

D 40.00 - 49.99 D

F 0.00 - 39.99 F

Malaysia Credentials

Credential English Translation

Penilaian Menengah Rendah Lower Secondary Assessment

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia Malaysian Certificate of Education

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia Vokesyenal Malaysian Certificate of Vocational Education

Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary Schools Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary Schools
Unified Examination Unified Examination
Credential English Translation

United Examination Certificate United Examination Certificate

Sijil Tinggi Pelarajan Malaysia Malaysian Higher School Certificate

Certificate of completion of US Pattern Program Certificate of completion of US Pattern Program

Diploma Perguruan Malaysia Malaysian Teaching Diploma

Bukan Universiti Teknikal & Vokasional Sijil Non-University Technical Vocational Certificate

Diploma - Sijil Perguruan Post Diploma Certificate in Teaching

Ijazah Sarjana Muda Bachelor's Degree

Kursus Perguruan Lepasan Diploma Graduate Teaching Diploma

Diploma Siswazah Graduate Diploma

Ijazah Sarjana Master's Degree

Doktor Falsafah Doctor of Philosophy

Doktor Falsafah Tinggi Higher Doctorate

Student Info & Guide

A Glance At The Malaysian Education System
by StudyMalaysia.com on March 16, 2015 | Higher Education in Malaysia, The National Education
System
Introduction to the Malaysian Education
Structure
Children in Malaysia begin their education as early as at the age of four at pre-schools although this
is not compulsory. Primary education starts when the child reaches the age of six on the first day of
January of the current school year. Presently, only the six years of primary education is compulsory
while the five years of secondary education will be made compulsory by 2015. The government
provides free education for six years at primary level and five years at secondary level. At the end of
this secondary education, students sit for the public common examination, Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia
(SPM).

Students who want to pursue higher education after the secondary level need to have the required
academic grades and be able to fund their education. School leavers with SPM qualifications can opt
to obtain a pre-university qualification (such as the sixth form, matriculation programmes and GCE
'A' levels) or study for a certificate or diploma at higher educational institutions. The time needed to
complete a pre-university programme depends on the type of programme - students usually take a
year to complete a matriculation programme or STAM and one-and-a-half to two years for STPM
and A-levels.

At higher education phase, study opportunities include certificate, diploma, undergraduate, as well
as postgraduate studies. Undergraduate studies consist of bachelor degrees and professional
qualifications while postgraduate studies offer master degrees and PhDs. Generally, higher
education at the diploma level is for school leavers with a secondary school certificate such as SPM
(usually age 17 onwards) while bachelor degrees require post-secondary qualifications such as
STPM or GCE A Levels or other equivalent pre-university qualifications (usually age 19 onwards).

Malaysia welcomes international students for all levels of education. Since the mid 1990s,
international students have been coming to Malaysia to pursue their tertiary education at Malaysia's
 higher educational institutions. Today, Malaysia is ranked the 11th most popular destination in the
world for international education at tertiary level.

Education Governing Authorities

Generally, the Malaysian education structure can be divided into

pre-tertiary and tertiary education levels. Previously, there were two governing authorities in
education: the pre-tertiary education sector (from pre-school to secondary education and teacher
education) was placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education (MOE), while the higher
education sector came under the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). In May 2013, the two
ministries were merged as one entity and named the Ministry of Education Malaysia (or Kementerian
Pendidikan Malaysia in Malay).
Organisational Structure of the Ministry of Education
The pre-tertiary phase of MOE comprises the following:

 The Policy and Educational Development Sector

 The Education Operations Sector

 The Teacher Professional Development Sector

 The Education Development Sector

 The Education Management Sector

 Matriculation Division

 State Education Departments

 Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka

 Malaysian Examination Council

The higher education phase comprises the following departments and sectors:

 The Department of Higher Education

 Public Higher Education Management Sector

 Private Higher Education Management Sector

 The Department of Polytechnics Education

 The Department of Community College Education

 The Higher Education Management Sector

 The Higher Education Development Sector

 Malaysian Qualifications Agency

 National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN)

 National Professor Council

 Higher Education Leadership Academy

Levels of Education
Similar to many developed country in the world, Malaysia adopts a system of 6+5+2 years of formal
education. The following section provides details of the various levels of the national education
system.

Levels of Education

Pre-school and kindergarten education for children age 4 to 6

Primary education from age 6+ to 11+ (Standard 1 to 6 for six years)

Secondary education from age 12+ to 16+ (Form 1 to 5 for five years)

 Lower secondary from age 12+ to 14+ (Form 1 to 3)

 Upper secondary from age 15+ to 16+ (Form 4 to 5) with the option to choose either

 academic secondary education; or

 technical secondary education; or

 vocational education; or

 religious secondary education

 Post-secondary education or pre-university from age 17+ (for one to two years)

 Form 6, STPM (for one-and-a-half years); or

 Matriculation certificate (for one year); or

 STAM (for one year)

Higher Education

 Certificate and diploma education from age 17+ onwards

 Teacher education at Teacher Training Institutes from age 17+ onwards

 Bachelor's degree from age 18+ or 19+ (for three to five years)

 Postgraduate studies [master's degree or PhD studies after acquiring a bachelor's degree] (for one to five years)

Categories of Educational Institutions

The Malaysian education system has been shaped to reflect the needs and identity of a multicultural
society. There are at least eight broad categories of educational institutions (which include both
government or public-funded institutions and private institutions) to meet the needs of its people and
the international community.

At Pre-tertiary Level
There are six categories of schools:

Categories of Schools

 Government and private sector kindergartens (that follow the national pre-school curriculum)

 Government schools or public funded national schools (that follow the Malaysian national curriculum and
national examination)

 Government-aided schools or national-type primary schools (that follow the Malaysian national curriculum and
national examination), which include:

 Chinese national-type primary schools (where the medium of instruction is Chinese)

 Tamil national-type primary schools (where the medium of instruction is Tamil)

 Private-funded schools (that follow the Malaysian national curriculum and national examination)

 Independent Chinese secondary schools (that teach a 6-year curriculum developed by Dong Jiao Zong and
prepare students for a standardised examination known as the United Examination Certificate at the end of Year
6 of secondary school; the medium of instruction is Chinese)

 Foreign system schools such as international schools and expatriate schools.

Note: There are numerous foreign system schools in Malaysia that use foreign curricula as its
medium of instruction. International schools follow an international curriculum and use English as its
medium of instruction while expatriate schools follow the national education system of other
countries and use their respective national language as the medium of instruction)

At Higher Education Level

There are two categories of higher education institutions:

 Government-funded public universities, polytechnics, community colleges and public colleges

 Private higher educational institutions (i.e. institutions not funded by the government) which include:

 non-university status institutions such as private colleges

 university status institutions such as private universities and university colleges

 foreign university branch campuses e.g. Monash University Malaysia and The University of Nottingham
Malaysia Campus (English is the medium of instruction at most private higher educational institutions.)

Education Legislations
The legal regulatory frameworks that govern the provision of education in Malaysia include :

 The Education Act 1996

 The Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996

 The National Council on Higher Education Institution Act 1996

 The Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act 2007 (replacing the previous Act namely, the National
Accreditation Act Board 1996 which has been repealed)

 The Universities and University Colleges (Amendment) Act 1996

 The National Higher Education Fund Corporation Act 1997

 The MARA Institute of Technology (Amendment) Act 2000

 The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (Amendment) Act 2000

 The Private Higher Educational Institutions (Amendment) Act 2009

The Education Act 1996 covers pre-tertiary levels of education under the national education system
which comprises preschool, primary, and secondary education as well as post-secondary education.
The other six acts regulate the provision of higher education in Malaysia. The Private Higher
Educational Institutions Act 2009 is currently under review for amendment.

Funding For Higher Education

Students studying at public universities

need to pay tuition fees. However, the fees are highly subsidised by the government. Students at
private institutions pay full fees.

There are many types of financial aid available for Malaysian students who pursue their higher
education in the country. These include scholarships and study loans from public and private
sectors. The main providers of financial aid from the government include:

 The Ministry of Higher Education (Scholarship Division)

 The National Higher Education Fund (Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional PTPTN), Ministry of
Higher Education
 The Public Services Department (JPA) Sponsorship Programme

 Various state foundations

 Government-linked companies

The private sector and non-government organisations also provide funding in the form of
scholarships, grants or study loans. Fee waiver schemes are offered by many private higher
educational institutions and many study loan schemes are offered by various organisations.

Various scholarship schemes are made available to international students through:

 The Malaysian government on G-G arrangement

 The Ministry of Education Malaysia (Scholarship Division)

 Government-linked companies

 Higher educational institutions

 Other commercial organisations

For more information on scholarships and financial aid, click here.

Medium of Instruction
At Primary Level (Public Schools)
The medium of instruction at primary schools varies according to the categories of schools.There are
two categories of public-funded primary schools, namely :

 National schools

 National-type schools (Chinese/Tamil)

The medium of instruction in national schools is Bahasa Malaysia (the national language) with
English as a compulsory subject (taught as second language) while the medium of instruction in
national-type primary schools or the vernacular schools is either Chinese or Tamil with both Bahasa
Malaysia and English taught as compulsory subjects. In 2003, the medium of instruction for Science
and Mathematics in all primary schools was changed to English. However, since 2012, the teaching
of Mathematics and Science has been reverted to Bahasa Malaysia in national schools; and
Chinese and Tamil in vernacular schools.

At Secondary Level (Public Schools)

The medium of instruction in secondary schools is Bahasa Malaysia while English is taught as a
second language in all schools. These two subjects are core subjects and compulsory for all
students. Chinese, Tamil and Arabic (communication) are offered as additional subjects. Foreign
languages such as French and other indigenous languages are also taught.

Note: The foreign system schools established in Malaysia use their own national language as the medium of
instruction. International schools follow an international curriculum and use English as its medium of
instruction while expatriate schools follow the national educational system of their respective countries and
use their national language as the medium of instruction.

At Higher Education Level

English is used as the primary medium of instruction at most private higher educational institutions.
However, most bachelor degree courses offered at public universities are taught in the national
language, that is, Bahasa Malaysia, while postgraduate studies are usually conducted in English.

Academic Qualifications
Academic Qualifications at Pre-Tertiary Level

Examinations and Qualifications

The Examination Syndicate or Lembaga

Peperiksaan (LP) conducts several national examinations. At the end of the six years of primary
schooling, pupils are required to sit for a common public examination called the Primary School
Achievement Test / Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (PSAT / UPSR). The subjects tested in UPSR
include Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics, and Science. Students at national-type primary
schools also sit for Mandarin or Tamil.

Prior to 2014, students sit for a public examination called Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) or the
Lower Secondary Assessment (LSA) at the end of the third year at the lower secondary level (Form
3). Subjects tested include Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History,
Living Skills, Islamic Education (for Muslim students), and Moral Education (for non-Muslim
students). A number of optional subjects are also available for examination, such as Mandarin,
Tamil, and Arabic. Beginning 2014, the government has decided to do away with the PMR as a
public examination and it will be replaced with a school-based assessment and PT3 system.

After two years of upper secondary education, students sit for the public common examination Sijil
Pelajaran Malaysia, SPM (also known as the Malaysian Certificate of Education). The SPM is the
 national examination taken by all Form 5 students and is equivalent to the IGSCE or O level.
Compulsory subjects include Bahasa Malaysia, English, Islamic Education (for Muslim students),
Moral Studies (for non-Muslim students), History, Mathematics, and Science. Elective subjects are
also offered across the fields of arts and health, information and communication technology,
languages and literature, technical and vocational studies, science and mathematics, social sciences
and religion.

Along with Bahasa Malaysia, History will be a must-pass subject in SPM examination from 2013.
English will be made a compulsory pass subject beginning 2016. Candidates who fail any of these
subjects will not receive a full SPM certificate.

In addition, the Ministry of Education offers two types of free post-secondary programmes or pre-
university courses for students with SPM qualifications:

 The Sixth Form (lower and upper form for one-and–a-half years) that prepares students for the common public
examination Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)* which is equivalent to GCE A levels qualification,
or Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM).

 Matriculation (for one year) conducted by matriculation colleges under the Ministry of Education which award
successful candidates with the matriculation certificate.

Note*: In 2012, the Ministry of Education introduced a modular system to assess the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan
Malaysia (STPM) examinations. The system is based on three semesters (for a duration of 1.5 years) where
students are evaluated at the end of each one. The assessment also includes coursework and school-based
projects. The content of the STPM syllabus will remain the same.

Academic Qualifications at the Higher Education

Level
The qualifications awarded by all higher educational institutions in Malaysia registered under laws
related to Malaysian education are governed by the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF). The
Malaysian Qualifications Act 2007 provides for the establishment of the Malaysian Qualifications
Agency (MQA) whose main role is to implement MQF.

The framework specifies that a programme is required to achieve the following minimum credits
before an academic qualification can be awarded by the approved higher educational institutions,
e.g. certificate (60 credits), diploma (90 credits), bachelor degree (120 credits), and taught master
degree (40 credits). Master and doctoral degrees obtained by research do not have credit values.

The various levels of higher education qualifications based on MQF can be defined as follows:
 Malaysian Higher Education Qualifications, Education Levels and Minimum Number of Credits

Education Levels Higher Education Qualification Minimum Credit Required for the Award of Qualificatio

8 Doctoral No given Credit Value

Research master degree No given Credit value

Fully or partly
taught master degree 40

Postgraduate diploma 30

7 Postgraduate certificate 20

Bachelor degree 120

Graduate diploma 60

6 Graduate certificate 30

5 Advanced diploma 40

4 Diploma 90

3 Certificate 60

1-3 Skills certificate According to the skill and levels

Source: MQA

Providers of Higher Education

Both public and private education providers play equally important roles in the provision of higher
education to both Malaysian and international students. Together, the public and private sectors
provide abundant study options. Higher educational institutions offer programmes that lead to the
award of certificates, diplomas as well as postgraduate qualifications.

Higher education providers in Malaysia can be grouped into two major categories:

 Public higher educational institutions (government funded), which consist of:

 public universities

 polytechnics

 community colleges

 Private higher educational institutions, which consist of:

 private universities and university colleges

 foreign university branch campuses

 private colleges
 Public Higher Educational Institutions
Public universities offer mainly bachelor degrees and postgraduate programmes, with some offering
programmes at diploma level. Polytechnics and community colleges offer certificate and diploma
level programmes.

Public Universities, Polytechnics and Community Colleges in Malaysia

A. 20 Public Universities
1. Universiti Malaya (UM) established on 1-1-1962
2. Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) established in 1969
3. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) established on 18-5-1970
4. Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) established on 4-10-1971
5. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) established on 1-4-1975
6. Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) established on 26-8-1999
7. Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM) established on 10-5-1983
8. Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) established on 16-2-1984
9. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) established on 24-12-1992
10. Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) established on 24-11-1994
11. Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) established on 24-2-1997
12. Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) established on 13-3-1998
13. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) established on 15-7-1999
14. Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) established on 30-9-2000
15. Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) established on 1-12-2000
16. Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) established on 16-2-2002
17. Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) established on 2-5-2002
18. Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) established on 1-1-2006
19. Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) established on 14-6-2006
20. Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, (UPNM) established on 10-11-2006

Note: Public universities can be divided into five research, three broad-based and 12 specialised universities.

The five public universities that have been designated as research universities are Universiti Malaya (UM),

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). USM has also been awarded Apex university status.

B. Polytechnics and Community Colleges

 30 polytechnics

 72 community colleges

C. Teacher Education Institutes

 27 Malaysian Institutes of Teacher Education

 Private Higher Educational Institutions
Privately funded higher educational institutions comprise:

 Private universities, which award their own qualifications at degree, diploma and foundation levels as well as
3+0 foreign university degrees and split-degree qualifications
 University-colleges, which award their own qualifications at degree, diploma and foundation levels as well as
3+0 foreign university degrees and split-degrees qualifications
 Foreign university branch campuses, which award their own degree, diploma and foundation studies
qualifications
 Private colleges, which award their own qualifications at diploma and certificate levels, foundation studies as
well as 3+0 foreign university degrees, split degrees and tutorial support for professional qualifications

General Entry Requirements

For international and private schools, the general entry requirement for primary and secondary
education levels involves interviews and entry assessments.

The general requirements for the various levels of programmes offered by private higher educational
institutions are as follows:

General Entry Requirements for Pre-University / Diploma / Degree Programmes at PHEIs

Education Level General Entry Requirement

Pre-university studies SPM/IGCSE or O level with 5 credits, or its equivalent

Certificate level SPM/IGCSE or O level with 1 credit, or its equivalent

Diploma level SPM/I GCSE or O level with 3 credits, or its equivalent

Year 1 bachelor degree GCE A levels + English proficiency or its equivalent

Undergraduate courses offered by public universities are for Malaysians but the government has
allocated 5% of places for international students to pursue non critical programmes.

General Entry Requirements for Bachelor's Degree Programmes at Public Universities

Education Level General Entry Requirement

Year 1 bachelor degree STPM (equivalent to GCE A levels) +English proficiency (MUET or its equivalent)

Applying to Study in Malaysia

Here is some useful information for students applying to study in Malaysia.
 Applying to Higher Educational Institutions
 For courses at public universities - bachelor degree (full-time mode) and postgraduate programmes -
international students have to apply directly to the university of their choice.

 For courses at private higher educational institutions e.g. pre-university studies, diploma, bachelor degree and
postgraduate studies, students have to apply directly to the institution of their choice, which must have the
approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs Malaysia to enrol international students.

National Quality Assurance Agency for Higher

Education – MQA
The national quality assurance agency of Malaysia is known as the Malaysian Qualifications Agency
(MQA) which was established on 1 November 2007 under the Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act
2007. Its key function is to ensure that all programmes and qualifications offered by higher education
providers meet the minimum standard set out by MQA.

MQA is entrusted with implementing the national framework known as the Malaysian Qualifications
Framework (MQF), to accredit higher educational programmes and qualifications, supervise and
regulate the quality and standard of higher education providers, establish and maintain the
Malaysian Qualifications Register, and provide for related matters.

The implementation of MQF means that there will be a unified system to interlink all the
qualifications awarded in Malaysia (which includes higher education qualifications and Malaysian
Skills Certificates - SKM Level 1 to 5) and serve as a reference point for all Malaysian national
qualifications.

MQF is an instrument that develops and classifies qualifications based on a set of criteria that has
been approved nationally and is at par with international good practices at the level of learning
attained by the learners. This includes learning outcomes achieved and a credit system which is
based on the learner's academic load. All the qualifications in the framework are based upon four
classifications, which are: (1) learning outcomes; (2) credit; (3) objectives; and (4) field of study.

MQF consists of eight levels of qualifications in four sectors of education. The four sectors of
education are the:

 skills sector

 vocational and technical sector

 life-long learning sector and

 higher education (university) sector

 The eight levels of higher education qualifications are:

Levels of Higher Education Qualifications

These are the levels for skills certificates awarded by the skills sector; vocational and technical certificates awarded by the Vocation
Levels 1 to 3 Technical Sector; and certificates (Level 3) awarded by the Higher Education sector.

These levels are for diplomas and advanced diplomas (general degree) awarded by the Technical and Vocational Sector, Skills Sect
Levels 4 and 5 Higher Education Sector.

Level 6 is for the first tertiary qualification, i.e. bachelor's degree with honours while Level 7 is for master degrees and Level 8 for
doctoral degrees. Under the lifelong learning category, there are graduate certificates and diplomas and postgraduate certificates and
Level 6 to 8 diplomas.

Rating of HEI
Currently there are two official rating systems for higher education institutions introduced by MOE:

 For private colleges : MOE launched a rating system for private colleges in 2011, aptly known as the Malaysia
Quality Evaluation System (MYQUEST) which is carried out by the Department of Higher Education, MOE.

 For public and private universities as well as university colleges in Malaysia, the Rating System for Higher
Education Institutions (SETARA) is carried out by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). For more
information, please refer to www.moe.gov.my and www.mqa.gov.my.

Conclusion
Education plays an important role for Malaysia in building a resilient nation, encouraging the creation
of a just society, and maintaining sustainable economic growth. It is also through education that a
country can develop global competitiveness, build a K-economy, and maintain sustainable
environmental development.

Under the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, the education system will focus on making
changes to structural elements that are in line with international best practices of high- performing
education systems. In preparing students for the demands of the future, structural adjustments
across each phase of education will be made and resources maximised to provide the very best to
Malaysians of all levels.

To realise the aim of becoming a centre of educational excellence, the government has allocated
more than 20% of the national budget for education and training. Among the nation's goals are to:
ensure that 40% of the 17-24 years age group will have tertiary education; provide primary school
education for all children; ensure that 60% of public university lecturers possess PhD qualifications;
and have 150,000 international students studying at higher educational institutions by 2015.
Currently, Malaysia is already a popular destination for international students with a world ranking of
11th place in terms of the enrolment of international student