95
instance, the cluster schools still suffer from limited autonomy in terms of human resource
management such as teacher recruitment (Malakolunthu & Shamsudin 2011). Even though
these schools are given additional allocations, the amount spent is based on guidelines laid out
by the Ministry of Education.
In conjunction with the preparation of the 10th Malaysia Plan, Malaysia further introduced the
Government Transformation Programme (GTP) in 2010 in order to achieve the Vision 2020. As
part of this, four “National Key Results Areas” (NKRA) for the education sector were identified:
(1) preschool, (2) educational literacy and numeracy, (3) high performance schools (curriculum
and co-curriculum activities), and (4) new deals for principals and headmasters. NKRA also
emphasized on the quality of English language teachers. The GTP was determined to ensure
competency in the basic literacy and numeracy skills in Malay language (Bahasa Malaysia)
among children in early grades by 2012. The literacy and Numeracy (LINUS) programme was
launched to ensure that students master the skills in Malay language at grade three of their
primary schooling. The Linus programme focused on early intervention (Years 1 through 3) for
literacy and numeracy programs. In 2012, the national curriculum was also revamped and the
standard curriculum for primary schools (KSSR) and standard curriculum for secondary schools
(KSSM) were introduced. Under KSSR and KSSM, students are evaluated individually. Each
student is given a “Band” on their performance evaluation at the end of the year, ranging from
one to six, where band six is awarded to excellent students who are articulate in creative, critical
and intellectual aspects and possessed good values. The other subjects such as civics, moral,
physical education, and art are evaluated as per the School Based Assessment System.
The government built on the National Education Blueprint (2006-2010) by launching the
Malaysian Education Blueprint (2013-2025) in 2013. The focus is on providing equal access to
quality education of an international standard. Other key focus areas include (a) ensuring that
every child is proficient in Bahasa Malaysia and English language, (b) develop values-driven
Malaysians; transforming teaching into the profession of choice, (c) ensure high-performing
school leaders in every school, (d) empowere schools to customize solutions based on need, (e)
leverage ICT to scale up quality learning, (f) transform ministry and delivery capabilities and
capacity, (g) partner with parents, community and private sector at scale, and (h) increase
transparency for direct public accountability. One of the key policy shifts in the Education
Blueprint 2013-2025 is to encourage higher order thinking skills among students and reduce
focus on rote-learning (MOE, 2013). To this end, since 2014, Form 3 students are being assessed
using the school based assessment system (PT3). This helped reduce emphasis on centralized
examination and reduce pressure of external evaluation. It also gives more power to schools to
choose examination contents and the grading process.
In the recently launched Eleventh Malaysia Plan 2016-2020, the emphasis on inclusive quality
education has been retained and envisioned through a range of measures. These include better
quality early childhood care and education (ECCE), professional development of teachers and
school leaders, the provision of different schooling models to meet the needs of specific student
groups, enhancing governance and stakeholder partnerships for better school support by
empowering State Education office and District Education office to provide more instructional
support to schools, and engaging the community and private sector as partners in the education
transformation journey.
Progressing into Wave 2 of the Blueprint in 2016, the Ministry increased its efforts to improve
accessibility to quality education through various initiatives, which included: