Compulsory Subjects in Transnational Education: The Malaysian

Experience

Rozilini M Fernandez-Chung
Senior Manager – Standards
National Accreditation Board
Malaysia

Introduction

In Malaysia, higher education is not only identified as the cornerstone to the

continued growth of the country and a viable export commodity but also as a tool for
national integration. This is reflected in the National Education Philosophy (NEP)
which is aimed at “developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integr ated
manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally
and physically balanced and harmonic, based on a firm belief in and devotion to
God” in order to “produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and
competent, who possess high moral standards and who are responsible and
capable of achieving high level of personal well -being as well as being able to
contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at
large” (The Ministry of Education, 2004). In this light, the National Language
(Bahasa Kebangsaan) is seen as the catalyst for national integration and since the
early 1970s has been used as the medium of instruction in schools and institutions
of higher learning whilst Moral Studies and Islamic Studies, for non-Muslim and
Muslim local students respectively, are seen as contributory factors to national
harmony (Middlehurst and Woodfield, 2003).

However, over time and with increasing globalisation, the Government has allowed
courses of study to be conducted in English, especially in the Private Higher
Education Institutions (PHEIs). Those PHEIs that do not use Bahasa Kebangsaan
as their medium of instruction are required to teach the language as a subject and
this was given statutory authority by Section 41 (4) of the Private Higher Education
Act 1996 (PHEA 1996). The Act also introduced Malaysian Studies and Islamic
Studies for students professing the Islamic faith, and Moral Studies for non Muslim
students (Section 43(1)). The introduction of these ‘Compulsory Subjects’ was to
complement the National Education Philosophy and to provide a ‘holistic’ and
‘Malaysianised’ education that fulfils both the potential of the individual and meets
the needs of the Nation (LAN, 2005).

The guardianship of the ‘Compulsory Subjects’ is placed with the National

Accreditation Board or the Lembaga Akreditasi Negara – LAN (The National
Accreditation Act 1996) and over the years, LAN has regulated the conduct of the
compulsory subjects through administrative circulars, the outcome of which are
summarised in Table 1. In essence, these circulars state that all Malaysian students
studying for foreign qualifications at PHEIs are to take the Compulsory Subjects and
that foreign students are required to take only Bahasa Kebangsaan B. However, in
many PHEIs, all students, including foreign students, are made to take all the
subjects save for the distinctions between Bahasa Kebangsaan A for local students
or Bahasa Kebangsaan B for foreign students, and Moral Studies and Islamic
Studies for non-Muslims and Muslim Students respectively.

R M Fernandez - Chung - Compulsory Subjects in Transnational Education: The Malaysian Experience 1

This study examines the perceptions of foreign students and PHEIs as to the
relevance of the ‘Compulsory Subjects’, using a questionnaire survey and
interviews. It also tests the assumption that PHEIs and foreign students are unaware
of the policies concerning the ‘Compulsory Subjects’. This limited study is part of
another, wider study on the impact of education and immigration policies on the
recruitment of foreign students to PHEIs conducted in the second half of 2005.

Table 1. Summary of policies on the teaching of the Compulsory Subjects at

PHEIs
No. Subject Name Malaysian Students Foreign Students
Compulsory Optional Compulsory Optional
1. Bahasa Kebangsaan A 1 P2 N/A N/A
3 4
2. Bahasa Kebangsaan B P P
3. Malaysian Studies P P
4. Islamic Studies P P
(For Muslims)
5. Moral Studies P P
(For non-Muslims)
Note:
1
National Language for Local Students
2
Local Students with a minimum credit (6) in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia
examination are exempted
3
National Language for Foreign Students
4
For students who had used a non-national stream
N/A – The course is not application to this category of students

Research Methods

In a postal survey, questionnaires were distributed to 48 PHEIs and 1,420 foreign

students in the Klang Valley. Completed questionnaires were returned by 27
(56.3%) of the PHEIs and 478 (33.7%) of the foreign students. The questionnaires
comprised three questions in which respondents were asked to indicate the extent
to which they agree with statements relating to the relevance of the Compulsory
Subjects to foreign students, organised on a four-point Likert scale where1 =
strongly disagree; 2 = disagree; 3 = agree; and 4 = strongly agree. The PHEIs were
also asked if they were aware of the policies regarding the Compulsory subjects.
The questions and the mean scores of the responses are shown in Table 2.

Following the survey, semi-structured interviews, in which interviewees were asked

to comment on the survey findings, were carried out with 8 officers with
responsibilities relating to foreign students in 3 different PHEIs. In the discussion
which follows the PHEIs are identified as A, B and C and the respondents as A1, A2
and A3; B1 and B2; and C1, C2 and C3.

R M Fernandez - Chung - Compulsory Subjects in Transnational Education: The Malaysian Experience 2

Table 2: Mean Score Data for HE Providers-Questionnaire and Foreign
Students-Questionnaire
Foreign
HE Providers
Students-
Questionnaire
Questionnaire
The teaching of Compulsory Subjects Mean Score Mean Score
2.5 2.3
Bahasa Kebangsaan B is relevant.
3.0 2.0
Malaysian Studies is relevant.

Moral Studies (or Islamic Studies) is relevant. 2.6 2.1

Notes:
1= strongly disagree; 2 = disagree; 3 = agree; 4 = strongly agree
The number of respondents: 27 for HE Providers-Questionnaire and 478 for Foreign
Students-Questionnaire

Discussion

The discussion of this paper addresses three issues, firstly the assumption that the
HE Providers are unaware of the policies concerning Compulsory Subjects,
secondly the teaching of Bahasa Kebangsaan and thirdly the teaching of Malaysian
Studies and Moral or Islamic Studies.

The study showed that all PHEIs were aware of the policies concerning the
Compulsory Subjects and with one exception, had made the subjects compulsory
for both local and foreign students. When the findings of the survey were presented
to them prior to the interviews, two of the PHEIs indicated that they would now
consider making the subjects optional for foreign students. Hence the assumption
that HE Providers are unaware of the policies concerning Compulsory Subjects
cannot be supported and is clearly incorrect.

In reference to the relevance of Bahasa Kebangsaan B, the data indicate a mean

score of 2.5 for PHEIs and 2.3 for foreign students (Table 2). Both scores are
inconclusive as only about half the respondents in both categories consider Bahasa
Kebangsaan B as relevant. When put to the interviewees, some felt that the lack of
enthusiasm was as a result of lack of consultation with students and perhaps even a
sense of compulsion. Others felt that the reason was purely due to the lack of
awareness of the rationale for the implementation of the subject, despite the fact
that the rational, i.e. to help foreign students to cope with student life in Malaysia
(LAN, 2006), had been clearly disseminated to all PHEIs. The interviewees also felt
that the subject is not deemed relevant because of the wide use of English in
Malaysia and “therefore, foreign students do not see the necessity to speak the
National Language’ (Respondent A1).

Another aspect of the rationale for the implementation of the subject is to facilitate
academic reference where books are in Bahasa Kebangsaan (LAN, 2006). In this
regard, all 8 interviewees felt that students at PHEIs usually do not access
references in the National Language as they rely on foreign references, and that
there are sufficient local journals and daily periodicals published in English, where

R M Fernandez - Chung - Compulsory Subjects in Transnational Education: The Malaysian Experience 3

local references are needed. However, some respondents felt that the National
Language should be taught, albeit as an option, to interested foreign students. Thus,
the above findings support the need to revisit the policy on the National Language in
relation to foreign students perhaps with a view making it optional, as the original
rationale no longer seems valid.

The third part of this discussion focuses on the teaching of Malaysian Studies and
Moral or Islamic Studies to foreign students and is in two sections, (a) Malaysian
Studies and (b) Moral or Islamic Studies. The mean score regarding the relevance
of Malaysian Studies was 3.0 for the PHEIs and 2.0 for the foreign students. This
shows that whilst the PHEI respondents believe that the teaching of Malaysian
Studies is relevant, foreign students do not.

In the interviews, respondents provided a mixed bag of responses, ranging from

‘very relevant’ (Respondent B1) to ‘utter rubbish’ (Respondent A2). Some felt that
the teaching of Malaysian Studies is relevant given “…the global village
environment . Many students who come to Malaysia are unaware of th e social and
historical development that took place in achieving modern Malaysia.” (Respondent
C1). Others reported that this subject was taught as a Compulsory Subject in their
PHEI, like in the public institutions of higher learning, and that this subject makes a
foreign degree studied in Malaysia unique. Most of the interviewees agreed that
Malaysian Studies is relevant and that it makes Malaysian transnational education
unique, but that the question remains as to whether foreign student should be
compelled to do it. The data show that foreign students do not find it relevant. On
this basis, it is suggested that Malaysian Studies should remain optional as was
intended by the policy makers. This will not detract from the uniqueness of
Malaysian transnational education, as students can still opt to do this subject as an
elective and, “learn about the diverse culture that is so uniquely Malaysian”
(Respondent A1).

With reference to Moral or Islamic Studies, the mean scores were 2.6 for the PHEIs
and 2.1 for the foreign students, indicating that the findings from the PHEI are
inconclusive and the data from the foreign students leans towards the view that the
subject is not relevant. The finding is not, however, in conflict with the rationale for
these subjects, which is to produce LOCAL graduates with high moral values and
greater appreciation of the principles of the religion (LAN, 2005, emphasis added by
author). Hence, it would seem that there is no wish to force Malaysian values or
religious interpretation on foreign students. However, the inculcation of values is a
subtle process, through personal experiences while studying in Malaysia and these
experiences will continue to make Malaysian education a unique experience. On this
basis, it can be concluded that these subjects should remain strictly an option for
foreign students as was intended by the policy makers.

Conclusion

This Study investigated the relevance of the teaching of Bahasa Kebangsaan B,

Moral or Islamic Studies and Malaysian Studies to foreign students in the PHEIs of
the Klang Valley. The findings show that whilst the PHEIs, on the whole, feel that
these subjects may be relevant, foreign students are more inclined to believe that
they are less so. The findings suggest that Bahasa Kebangsaan B should be made
optional to foreign students and support the policy to keep Malaysian Studies and
Moral or Islamic Studies optional. Certainly taking these steps will not fall foul of the
NEP which is meant for local students and neither will it remove the ‘Malaysian
R M Fernandez - Chung - Compulsory Subjects in Transnational Education: The Malaysian Experience 4
experience’ from Malaysian transnational education. Foreign students who study
here, take with them a culture of mutual existence based on the principle of respect
and understanding. The unique Malaysian experience reflects the cultural, religious
and social experiences of studying in a multiracial, multi-religious and multicultural
country. The Compulsory Subjects, when or if opted for, will be bonuses, over and
above the foreign qualifications and experiences obtained on Malaysian shores.

Note:
Since writing this paper, it has come to the attention of the author that there is a
move from the Ministry of Higher Education to make Bahasa Kebangsaan B an
optional subject to foreign students.

Reference

The Ministry of Education, (2004) The Development of Education, National Report ,

Kuala Lumpur. Ministry of Education.

Middlehurst, R. and Woodfield, S. (2004) The Role of Transnational, Private, and

For – Profit Provisions in Meeting Global Demand for Tertiary Education:
Mapping, Regul ation and Impact, Case Study Malaysia , Canada, Commonwealth
of Learning and UNESCO.

The Private Higher Education Institutions Act, (1996) Act 555.

Compulsory Subjects , The National Accreditation Board Official Website,
http://www.lan.gov.my (last updated: December 2006).

The National Accreditation Board Act, (1996), Act 556.

Administrative Circulars JPS No. 3/1998, Gazetting and Enforcing the Private Higher
Education Act 1996 and other by -laws, http://www.lan.gov.my.

Administrative Circular JPS No. 6/2000, Implementation of the National Language

and Compulsory Subjects , http://www.lan.gov.my.

R M Fernandez - Chung - Compulsory Subjects in Transnational Education: The Malaysian Experience 5