Philosophy and Goal of Science

Education in Malaysia
Mrs Marlina binti Ali

National Philosophy Of Education

• Education in Malaysia is an on-going effort towards

further developing the potential of individuals in a
holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce
individuals who are intellectually, spiritually,
emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious
based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Such
an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens
who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess
high moral standards and who are responsible and
capable of achieving a high level of personal well-
being as well as being able to contribute to the
betterment of the family, society and the nation at
large.

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 National Science Education Philosophy

• In consonance with the National Education

Philosophy, science education in Malaysia
nurtures a Science and Technology Culture
by focusing on the development of
individuals who are competitive, dynamic,
robust and resilient and able to master
scientific knowledge and technological
competency.

Goal

• With this philosophy, science education,

therefore, is aimed at developing the
potentials of individuals in an overall and
integrated manner so as to produce
Malaysian citizens who are scientifically and
technologically literate, competent in
scientific skills, practice good moral values,
capable of coping with the changes of
scientific and technological advances and be
able to manage nature with wisdom and
responsibility for the betterment of mankind.

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• The main aim of science at the primary level
is to lay the foundation for building a society
that is culturally scientific and technological,
caring, dynamic and progressive.

• This is to be achieved through providing

opportunities for students to acquire
sufficient skills, knowledge and values
through experiential learning that inculcates
the sense of responsibility towards the
environment and a high regard of nature’s
creation.

• Emphasis is given on the mastery of scientific

skills needed to study and understand the
world.

• Scientific skills refer to process skills and

manipulative skills.

• At the lower primary level, elements of

science are integrated across the curriculum.
Science is taught as a subject at the upper
primary level (years 4, 5, 6).

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• Science continues to be offered as a core
subject to all students at the lower secondary
level.

• The curriculum at this level further develops,

nurtures and reinforces what has been
learned at the lower primary level.

• Particular emphasis is given on the

acquisition of scientific knowledge, mastery of
scientific and thinking skills, inculcation of
moral values concurring with the premise
that man is entrusted with the responsibility
of managing the world and its resources
wisely.

• This will enable pupils to understand and

appreciate the role of science and its
application in daily living as well as for the
development of the nation.

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• At the upper secondary level, students are
offered science electives (biology, chemistry,
physics and additional science) in addition to
the core science.

• While the traditional pure sciences have been

in the curriculum for a longtime, additional
science is relatively new. It comprises
elements of physics, chemistry, biology,
earth science, agriculture, oceanography and
space science.

• Those taking two or more electives are not

required to study core science. The electives
tend to be favoured by students who have
acquired good passes at the national
examinations taken at the end of lower
secondary level of schooling.

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 Scientific and thinking skills

• Central in the teaching-learning approach in

the science curriculum at all levels is the
mastery of scientific skills, which comprise
process skills, manipulative skills and
thinking skills.

• Process skills are mental processes that

encourage critical, creative, analytical and
systematic thinking and include observing,
making inferences, classifying, measuring
and using numbers, predicting,
communicating, using time and space
relationships, interpreting, defining
operationally, controlling variables, making
hypotheses and experimenting.

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• Manipulative skills are psychomotor skills
used in scientific investigations such as
proper handling of scientific equipment,
substances, living and non-living things.

• Thinking skills comprise critical thinking and

creative thinking, which when combined with
reasoning lead to higher order thinking skills
such as conceptualizing, decision-making and
problem solving. The operation of these
strategies can be seen in Figure 1.

• Various methods can be used to inculcate

scientific and thinking skills. In the science
curriculum, the infusion methodology is
recommended.

• Scientific and thinking skills are infused

through science lessons in various stages.
These stages range from introducing
scientific and thinking skills explicitly,
applying these skills with guidance from
teachers and finally applying these skills to
solve specific problems independently.

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 Attitudes and values

• The infusion of desirable values and attitudes is also

emphasized in the teaching approaches. Such values
include showing interest and curiosity towards the
surroundings, honesty and accuracy in recording and
validating data, flexibility and open-mindedness,
perseverance, being systematic and confident,
cooperation, responsibility for one’s own and friend’s
safety, and towards the environment, appreciation of
the contributions of science and technology,
thankfulness to God, appreciation and practice of a
healthy and clean life style and the realization that
science is one of the ways to understand the
universe.

Thank you