Public confidence in national, vernacular schools declining

SHAH ALAM - The increasing number of students attending international schools is not a positive indicator for the national education ecosystem, rather, it is a matter of concern.

University of Nottingham Malaysia School of Politics and International Relations Associate Professor Dr Tricia Yeoh said the situation warrants attention as it reflected the diminishing public confidence in national (SK) and vernacular (SJK) schools.

"The statistics shared in Parliament are quite concerning, showing an increase of 30,000 over three years (2021 to 2024).

"This suggests a decline in public confidence in SK and SJK schools, with household income being one of the factors contributing to this trend," she said.

Yeoh said this during Sinar Harian's Meja Bulat Diskusi Mencipta Resolusi roundtable discussion entitled "Sistem Pendidikan Malaysia: Selepas 60 Tahun, Di Mana Silapnya?" (Malaysian Education System: After 60 Years, Where Did It Go Wrong?) broadcast on Sinar Harian's digital platforms, last night.

Joining Yeoh on the panel were former higher education deputy minister Datuk Dr Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad, former education minister Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin and former education ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Zulkurnain Awang.

Previously, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek disclosed in a written response in Parliament that the enrolment of Bumiputera students in international schools had increased by 49.4 per cent from 2019 to 2024.

Meanwhile, the enrolment of non-Bumiputera students in international schools saw a rise of 30.6 per cent over the same period.

As of May 31, there were 88,951 students in international schools, with Malaysian citizens making up 59,726 (67.1 per cent) and non-citizens numbering 29,225 (32.9 per cent).

Of the Malaysian students, 19.9 per cent were Bumiputera, while 80.1 per cent were non-Bumiputera.