The 4A's In Malaysia Education System

1) Availability

a. Between people who are living in rural & urban
Those staying far away in the rural area don't get the full access to education, but schools in the cities are better equipped.

b. Between the 'bumiputera' s and the non-bumiputera' s'
The bumiputeras consists of the Malays, indigenous and natives (Orang Asal) in the Borneo. The non-bumiputeras are the Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, etc.

Those in the bumiputera sectors has a higher chance of entering a local universities than anyone else. This is through a discrimination system which we called it the quota system. Under this system, 90% places in the local public higher learning institutions are reserved for the bumi' s; while the rest are for the non-bumi' s. This is the most talked about issue in our public education. Education availability for the bumi students are very much greater in terms of sponsorship, financial availability, etc.

But at the same time, i want to highlight this the most, there are also discrimination exist within the bumiputera sector. The indigenous and natives (Orang Asal) do not enjoy the same status as the Malays. And this 2 groups especially the indigenous are being continually marginalized right to this day.


2) Accessibility

a. Cost
The cost of education is rising up, like what is happening in other countries due to the globalization. The accessibility for students who did not excel in their studies, they will not be able to enter the public higher learning institutions. Then they have to opt for the private colleges which charges exorbitantly. And the high cost of education is a setback for them. Even now, with the study loans being given out in big amount, the less affluent students from rural area still stand to lose out due to the lack of information of the loan offered.

The current social consequences of study loans need to be examined because of the repayment period can take up even up to 20 years. In a way, the culture of debt is imposed on the students without they realizing it and the vicious circle of relative poverty continues.

b. Geography
For the rural students, there is much problem of getting to the nearest schools due to the distance. for example, the indigenous who lives in the jungle terrain has a lot to go through before reaching the schools. Transportation is a problem because of the accessibility. Due to this, many of them dropout and this is one of the reasons why the dropout cases are high among them.


3) Acceptability

a. The study of Islamic Civilization
This subject, which is offered in the universities, is forced upon the students and a pre-requisite for them to graduate. This is the part of the govenrment policy; the policy of Islamization. This happens for 2 reasons; (1) As part of the ruling Malay party (UMNO) to show that they are propagating the religion of Islam better than the more radical Islamic opposition party who has been making in roads in our political system, (2) Also to influence the non-muslims students to know more about Islam and thus convert them.

b. The displacement of the indigenous and the natives students
As they are pulled into the mainstream of society, they will slowly losing their culture and heritage identity. When this happens, students who are unable to adapt to their previous lifestyles will start to leave their native homeland for the urban area. This will contributes not only losing their lifestyles and sense of history, but also their land. This is unacceptable because all this are being done subtly.

c. Students as customers???!
We the students are supposed to be the customers in the higher level education because we are paying fees!!! But yet, we are not being heard. We are told to be quiet which is totally unacceptable at all. The imposition of culture of fear through the various laws such as the AUKU. So, who is being heard before an education policy is reviewed or implemented? The real customers of our education system are the business sector!!!

d. No schools are catered to the indigenous/native community
As they have a different lifestyle and world view, the education for them need to be specialize so as to compete with the urban students. If not, they will stand out loose out in the outside world where intense competition is the name of the game but theirs is community living.


4) Adaptability

a. The teaching of Moral education and Bible knowledge among the non-Muslim students
This is good as the Muslims students too learn Islamic studies right from Primary One. But the question here is about the accessibility. How many teachers are well qualified to teach this subject and how are the students going to sit for this exams coz' many schools do not offer this subject in their classrooms.

In campuses, non-Muslim students are banned from organizing activities and gatherings. For example, the Christian students group are not allowed to have any gathering or Bible class in the campus. So there are no balance with the input they get from their studies in the Islamic Civilization subject. Why must this happens? Are our fellow Muslim friends are treating us as the second class citizen? But yet they say everyone are equal in God's eyes.


Those are the 4A's scenarios of education system in Malaysia that i observed. Comments are most welcomed.