Adult and Non-Formal Education

The development of human resources will have to be complemented by education and training from the non-formal sector. This is especially so when the coverage of the formal system is limited. Although Malaysia has a high literacy rate and students have the opportunity to receive at least nine years of basic education, those who drop out from the system have to be given due consideration. Thus, lifelong or continuing education through non-formal means is becoming increasingly important in mobilizing human resources, especially the youth.

The delivery of non-formal education and training by various agencies has been reviewed and improved to render them more effective in achieving their objectives. Programmes by the various agencies have been co-ordinated so that there will be an integrated approach. Similarly, the role of the mass media (especially radio, ICT and television) have been strengthened to render them more effective in delivering non-formal education and training programmes to the people. The Government has provided more education and training facilities to meet the demand for lifelong education. While the Government continues to do this as part of its development efforts, the private sector has also been encouraged to contribute to non-formal education and training. Continuing education through distance learning programmes has been accelerated.

As mentioned, non-formal education is provided by ministries and agencies of the federal government other than the Ministry of Education (Ministry of National and Rural Development, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Agriculture, etc.). The Community Development Division of the Ministry of National and Rural Development carries out a comprehensive programme to eradicate adult illiteracy. It includes basic literacy classes that emphasize the upgrading of education and skills through a combined programme of literacy education and enhancement of skills, rural libraries, co-operative movements and religious education. This Division also offers pre-school education programmes for children in rural areas and home economics classes for rural women.

Ministries and agencies have varying objectives and approaches in providing non-formal education programmes. Some provide skills and training for unemployed youths while others conduct courses for new settlers in order to promote participation in land development schemes. Non-formal education does not lead to further education at a higher level, as the main goal is to provide skills for effective participation in national development.
Teaching staff

The Philosophy of Teacher Education, formulated in 1982, has determined the direction of teacher education. The philosophy emphasizes the desire to educate and produce teachers who are noble and caring, knowledgeable and skillfull, creative and innovative, resilient and competent, scientific in outlook, committed to uphold the aspirations of the nation, proud of their heritage and dedicated to the development of the individual and the preservation of a united, progressive, and disciplined society.

The main concern of the Ministry of Education is to provide basic pre-service as well as in-service teacher training to meet the requirements of all schools. Both the teacher-training colleges and the universities undertake the task of teacher education and training.

The Ministry through the Teacher Education Division (TED) is directly involved in the planning and co-ordinating teacher training programmes conducted in teacher-training colleges and universities. It plans and draws up curriculum and assessment guidelines for all training programmes, both pre-service and in-service, at the diploma and certificate levels to meet current requirements of the schools. In addition, it plans and coordinates on-going staff developments programs, both at the ministry and college levels, locally and overseas in order to enhance the quality of training. It co-ordinates and monitors all teacher education initiative both at the Ministry and college levels to ensure effective implementation. Finally, it co-ordinates and collaborates with all divisions of the Ministry of Education and other relevant educational institutions to ensure a coherent system of training and education.

The main objectives of the TED are:

to train teachers of high calibre to fulfil the requirements of all pre-school, primary, secondary, vocational and technical education within the national education system; to train teachers of high calibre to fulfil the requirements of all pre-school, primary, secondary, vocational and technical education within the national education system;

to constantly upgrade and update the knowledge, competency and efficiency of trained teachers and lecturers in both academic and professional areas;

to develop teacher training colleges (TTCs) as centres of excellence.

Both teacher-training colleges and universities offer pre-service training programmes. The universities offer two types of pre-service teacher training programmes: a one-year post-graduate diploma in education, and a four-year integrated bachelor's degree course. Similarly, teacher-training colleges offer a six-semester (three years) diploma in teaching programme, and a one-year (two semesters) post-graduate diploma in teaching for university graduates who wish to enter the field of education.

The three-year teaching Diploma Programme attempts to provide quality education to student teachers. Emphasis is on upgrading with quality of training, which includes professionalism in teaching, being student centred, literacy in Information Technology and globalization to fulfil the aspiration of the National Philosophy of Education and the Philosophy of Teacher Education. The training programme emphasises school-based training, focusing on the integrated concept, usage of various media and reflective thinking to bridge the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching and learning in the classroom.

The one-year, pre-service post-graduate diploma in teaching was first introduced in 1983 to meet the demand of graduate teachers in areas such as mathematics, science, Malay language, English language, Islamic studies and technical subjects. Since then, the number of areas of specialization has increased. In 1996, a total of twenty-two subject specializations and twenty-one elective subjects were offered in line with the newly integrated school curriculum. The teacher education curriculum offered by the universities is similar in scope to that of the curriculum in teacher-training colleges.

The Ministry of Education has systematically planned over the years to upgrade the professional competence of teachers through in-service training. The ultimate objective of in-service training is that every teacher would undergo retraining after a period of five years, in order to meet new demands and be up-to-date in terms of current knowledge and teaching techniques. Various seminars, workshops, and in-house training programmes on the new curriculum are conducted for schoolteachers.

The one-year, in-service Special Diploma in Teaching is provided to teachers who are required to teach subjects for which they are not adequately trained. Twenty subject majors are offered, namely: mathematics, science, Malay language, Malay literature, Islamic studies, Arabic language, living skills, special education, physical and health education, management of resource centres, engineering technology, commerce and accounting, home economics, guidance and counselling, information technology, music, art education, educational technology, English as a second language, and Chinese studies. The programme is accredited by the local universities and participants who excel may be given credit transfer to the second year of a degree programme at local universities in the same subject area.

The fourteen-week professional development courses are customized courses to upgrade and update the professional skills and knowledge of both the primary and secondary school teachers. Currently, the programme offers twenty specialized courses that teachers can choose from.

Teacher-training programmes were aimed at producing teachers who excelled in curricular and co-curricular activities. Toward this end, teacher-training programmes were continuously improved, while new courses in areas such as counselling and interpersonal skills as well as environmental education were introduced. The curriculum was also revised to incorporate the use of computers and multimedia, especially in subjects such as mathematics, science, Malay and the English languages. To further improve the quality as well as the creativity and innovativeness of teachers, new electives on teaching innovation were introduced. A total of six courses were introduced in areas such as evaluation, pedagogy and management. Teacher training also focused on inculcating good values and positive attitudes.

The following strategies have been used to improve the status of teachers:

Extending the career path for teachers. The one-year Special Diploma in Teaching Programme was planned for non-graduate teachers to upgrade their academic qualification in their respective area of specialization, with a corresponding increase in pay.

The TED also aims to develop and upgrade the professional qualifications of teacher educators in teacher-training colleges. Short in-service courses, master degree courses and courses at doctorate level are offered through the Ministry’s Staff Development Scheme. On-going programmes and projects also help develop a cohort of key trainers who in turn conduct staff development programmes in their respective colleges and zones.

Teacher educators and teachers who perform excellently are rewarded through a graded system of remuneration, inclusive of bonuses. In addition, there is also the master teacher scheme which gives professional and service recognition to teachers. It is a promotional scheme which takes account of teaching excellence. Excellent teachers are identified by their heads of departments for observation and assessment by the Federal Inspectorate of Schools, which attests to the teaching performance of these teachers.

Upgrading entry requirements. The upgrading of the training certificate to diploma is a recognition given to teachers for the responsibilities they have. The minimum requirements for entry to the pre-service teaching diploma programme are a credit pass in the area of specialization and at least four other credits inclusive of a credit pass in Malay language at Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (Malaysian Certificate of Education), equivalent to Cambridge GCE O-level. The student teacher is expected to have at least a comprehensive education at the upper secondary school level before becoming a teacher.

The current emphasis on quality education requires that the teaching force be competent in the delivery of the curriculum. The transference of learning requires a set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, from technical know-how to the creative art of teaching. To enhance the quality of training at the teacher training level, the TED has employed the main following strategies:

Upgrading teacher educators’ entry qualifications. Existing staff who have basic degrees and who qualify within the age criteria are encouraged to apply for scholarships for master and doctorate programmes either locally or overseas. The TED is working collaboratively with both local and foreign universities to identify programmes to upgrade the quality of teacher trainers.

Research and development. Educational research has been instituted as part of the college culture. However, it received a mixed response because of the heavy workload and the lack of a working knowledge of research. Colleges and teacher educators are encouraged to take an active part in investigating their own teaching in the field of pedagogy, management, and evaluation.

Curriculum support programmes. Curriculum support programmes are necessary for the effective implementation of the curriculum. Teacher educators need to have teaching-learning resources and a mastery of a variety of strategies for the delivery of the curriculum. Some of the programmes implemented include those for English, science and mathematics to improve the delivery system and teaching-learning strategies based on the reflective and process-based approach. In view of the emphasis given to science and mathematics, a similar curriculum support project was also set up to produce teaching and learning materials based on the science and mathematics teacher-training syllabi. A cohort of key teacher educators wrote these materials focusing on the concept of constructivism in order to improve the teaching and learning of science and mathematics.

Management courses for administrators and school heads. The Ministry of Education conducts courses for administrators and school heads to upgrade their leadership and management skills so that they can effectively lead their institutions or schools. The institutionalization of Excellent Schools and Excellent Heads has provided the incentives necessary to stimulate creativity and excellence.

Inspection of educational institutions. The Federal Inspectorate of Schools currently covers all educational institutions comprising all government-supported schools, colleges and universities. The main role of the inspectorate is to ensure that there is quality in curriculum planning and implementation.

Publicizing the achievements of teachers. All the national newspapers in the country have a weekly column which focuses on school or educational institutions’ achievement and initiatives. This helps to promote excellence in education and constitutes an essential element to support teachers and to upgrade their professional esteem and self-worth.