Government Agencies in Malaysia

The Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education are the principal government agencies in the country’s education sector. The other government agencies in the sector are the Malaysian Examination Council, the premier exam board; the Institute of Language; the Literature and National Institute for Translation, which trains translators; the Education Marketing Division, which promotes Malaysian higher education domestically and abroad; and the state-backed Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) which aims to retain the nation’s premier talent within the country.

Public spending on education was 4.5% of GDP in 2008.

Key to the Tenth Malaysia Plan 2011–2015 is the development of the country’s human capital towards a knowledge-based economy. This entails improving access to and the quality of the education system at all levels; making national schools the schools of choice; nurturing top quality research and development; and empowering women and youth.