Country: Malaysia
Title: Socio-economic environment, academic achievement
and occupational opportunities in Malaysia.
Project Leader(s): Jasbir Sarjit Singh
Institution: University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.
Address: Lembah Pantai.
Town/City: Kuala Lumpur.
State: Federal Territory. Country: Malaysia.
Objectives: The study attempts to establish whether in a
developing society such as Malaysia, individuals
are rewarded on the basis of achievement in
schools or on the basis of ascriptive criteria.
The study also intends to ascertain the links
between social origins, school environment and
occupational status attainment. In particular,
the study attempts to evaluate the links between
social origins and occupational status for
different levels of education.
Methodology: Data for the study were gathered through two
surveys- the labour force survey and the
employer's survey. Data in the labour force
survey were collected from 6613 cases from
Trengganu, Johor, Selangor, Federal Territory and
Sarawak, while the employer's data were gathered
from 163 employers in the public and private
sectors in Peninsular Malaysia.
Background: The research project entitled 'The effects of
education inputs, socio-economic and
environmental factors on student achievement and
job opportunities" was expected to analyse in the
Malaysian situation the factors effecting
academic achievement and job opportunuties.
Academic achievement was the key intervening
variable between birth and social origins and the
attainment of occupational destinations.
Results to Date: The findings of the study showed that: i) A large
proportion of respondents from low status
families appear to be unable to climb the
educational ladder.ii) Urban respondents seem to
have benefitted from the education system both
quantitively and qualitatively. iii) Urban
schools, both primary and secondary, receiving
better school resources and other related inputs,
produce a higher proportion of students with
better educational attainment levels and
examination grades at all cohorts than their
counterparts. iv) The study had established the
primacy of academic achievement as a determinant
of occupational status.
Citations: Faculty of Education, UM," Socio-economic
environment, academic achievement and
occupational opportunities in
Malaysia",Unpublished document, Kuala Lumpur,
1989, 62pp.
Commencement Date: 1986. Duration: 3years.
Completion Date: 1989.
Descriptors: Academic achievement; Socioeconomic status;
Employment opportunities
Sponsor: Ministrys'officials and researchers.
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