Independent Schools in Malaysia
- Overview
- Independent schools
Gross enrolment overall: 69.8% (2008)
Primary female–male ratio: 0.99:1 (2008)
Secondary female–male ratio: 1.07:1 (2009)
Primary pupil–teacher ratio: 13:1 (2009)
Secondary pupil–teacher ratio: 14:1 (2009)
There are 11 years of compulsory education starting at age six. Primary school comprises six years and secondary seven, with cycles of three and four years. Some 96% of pupils complete primary school (2006). The school year starts in January and comprises two terms.
Private education is well established within Malaysia and is available on all levels, particularly in the capital Kuala Lumpur. Government policy has been to support private education institutions in order to foster competition within the sector. There are two types of private schools: local private and foreign system schools. The country’s local private schools must follow the native Malaysian curriculum, while foreign system schools are exempt from this. Only four foreign education systems are however acceptable to the Malaysian authorities: British, American, Australian and Canadian. British and American style curriculums, in that order, are the most popular. Notable examples of international schools include the Garden International School, which is the largest private international school in Malaysia (British system) and the International School Kuala Lumpur which is the oldest and largest U.S.-accredited international school in Malaysia.