Access to Post-secondary Education in Malaysia: Realities and Aspirations

Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1959 and has made huge strides over the past few decades in increasing the participation of its population in post-secondary education. From a benchmark in 1970, when close to 50 per cent of the population lived in poverty (Symaco, 2010: 267), the participation rate has continued to increase significantly; the gross enrolment higher education (HE) ratio was 38 per cent in 2009, having risen from 32 per cent in 1985 and from 2 per cent in 1965 (Tham, 2011). The 2009 level is approaching the Malaysian government’s goal, set in 2010 and to be achieved by 2020, whereby 40 per cent of the relevant population group will be enrolled in post-secondary education (Tham, 2011). In Malaysia, postsecondary education normally refers to post–grade 11 programmes.