2015 Year In Review: Secondary and Higher Education Highlights This Year

It's been a roller coaster ride and we're glad to be there with you!

The year 2015 has been interesting and challenging for us Malaysians, especially from our perspective as keen observers of the secondary and higher education scene in Malaysia.

Let's look back at the scandals and sizzling stories that shaped our expectations for better or worse. Brace yourself, the GIFs will help tell a story and ease the ride.

January

We started 2015 with the biggest flood in Malaysian history and our Ringgit was dubbed as Asia's worst performing currency.

Life goes on as usual for most, but PTPTN proved they care for your welfare by allowing postponement of loan repayments for those affected by flood.

Our Ministry of Education (spearheaded by Hishammuddin at the time) announced that English will become a must-pass subject in SPM by 2016, which idea was then scraped and postponed for further discussion. This was in line with the Ministry's mission to upskill 23,000 English language teachers by end of 2015.

February

One more step closer to making Malaysia an international education hub, we saw the esteemed Heriot-Watt University, based in Edinburgh and established in 1821 unveil their RM191mil campus in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Despite petroleum prices going down, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) students recognized the still ongoing need to conserve fuel consumption by inventing a gadget that does just that.

The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 re-introduces practical science tests which were carried out in SPM until 1999, when they were replaced by written tests and continuous school-based practical science assessments (Penilaian Kerja Amali Sains or Peka). This plan was postponed however, for an indefinite time.

March

Ah, SPM results season!

Apparently the new question format, which required a different way of thinking, used in the exam was blamed for causing fewer students to score A+ and A- in this year’s SPM but at a better GPN value compared to 2014.

However, those who scored 9A+ and above regardless of their race or family background are assured that the Education Ministry will cover their course fees, subsistence and accommodation allowances which is automatically offered!

A new assessment tool for SPM/STPM/equivalent for public varsity application was introduced called Semak Syarat. School leavers can enter their information and the system will show a programme they are eligible for and may enable them to be admitted to a public university, which also went through a rebranding from being known as IPTA to UA instead.

Malaysian universities were a no-show in a report released based on the largest survey of leading academics across the world, Times Higher Education (THE) World Reputation Rankings 2015, and Putraya defended it by citing the newness of Malaysian tertiery institutions. This was made more interesting when an Education Minister bets his own position, promising to achieve better ranking the following year.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) decided that it will no longer offer a diploma programme for SPM graduates beginning this year’s intake, while a study showed that 1 out of 5 Malaysian doctors quit to become waiters!

On the bright side, the Board of Architects Malaysia began to recruit graduates with unrecognized qualifications by offering them a special “one-off” exemption programme.

April

Although GST was finally implemented this month, PTPTN assured it's borrowers that the Goods and Services Tax will not be implemented on any PTPTN loan.

While SPM 2014 leavers seemed more keen on starting a career early by rushing to fill in 800,000 jobs after their results were announced, UiTM decided to stop 121 courses not relevant to the job market.

MARA made the headlines often for various reasons: stricter regulations on medical scholarships, new introduction of policy on loans, giving students a second chance to studying via carnivals, and the introduction of IGCSE for fast-tracking of MARA students.

Another good news was that the government of China finally recognized the Chinese Language 6351 subject in SPM and removing the need to take another Chinese language proficiency test, making the transition to studying overseas in China Universities for Malaysian students easier.

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) also made history when it became the only private Malaysian university accepted as a member of the research consortium NanoMalaysia Institute for Innovative Technology (NanoMITe).

May

Maybe yes, maybe no? This month was filled of uncertainty and caution.

Students interested in aviation courses were also as unsure of their future as the 20,000 MAS employees who found themselves in limbo due to restructuring of one of the oldest GLCs in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Education Ministry in hand with the Health Minister sought out an extension against the moratorium imposed in May 2011 which may lead to a ban of new medical courses for the next 6 years.

But it's not all thorn and poison as UiTM develops a test to help graduates find work and Muhyiddin Yassin who was Deputy Prime Minister at the time suggested that psychometric tests be introduced as a criteria to recruit high quality teachers.

There is also more hope for the student who are more practically inclined rather than theory as it is predicted that over 750,000 jobs will require technical and vocational skills by 2020, which proved itself true as we saw a surge of students apply for polytechnic courses and institutions in 2015.

June

Form 6 rebrands itself to be more similar to diploma by having their own institutions separate from regular secondary schools (Kolej Tingkatan 6) along with more lax dress code regulations.

MARA introduced three new financial aid schemes as young Malaysians were warned of early bankruptcy by Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Ahmad Maslan.

The compulsory government service for dentistry graduates was also reduced from two years to one year, and graduates can either join the private sector or continue their training elsewhere or do postgraduate studies.

July

Afterschool.my continues to benefit Malaysian students by launching our own safe space online to encourage bravery in using the English language.

This would help students interested in pursuing studies overseas to gain better communication skills, despite the fact that UK government has restricted working opportunities after graduation for students of many countries including Malaysia.

With MARA embracing a technology driven world by introducing an online loan conversion form, we also welcomed a new lineup of the Education Ministry with new and/or revived roles after a much-anticipated reshuffle.

August

We saw the the cost of living increasing here in Malaysia, but the ringgit fall also affected Malaysians studying overseas badly.

Unlike Yayasan Terengganu which decided to stop overseas scholarships to save money, a certain Johor royalty took matters in her own hand and offered financial aid for these students.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said that starting 1 January 2017, recognition of architectural education institutions abroad will no longer be awarded automatically.

But why study overseas when foreign universities settle here and call Malaysia their second home? Provost of University of Reading, Prof Tony Downes believes that the new branch will offer its students a unique higher education experience.

Amidst calls for a more transparent enrollment selection for Public University placements via UPU, Malaysia will also be the first nation in the world to implement an integrated CGPA system which will grade students according to their leadership, values, ethics and contributions to the community.

This year also saw the largest number of FELDA scholars among the graduates at Nilai University.

September

Malaysian students abroad who find they are unable to proceed with increased tuition fees and cost of living may request to continue their degree locally.

There's no more running away from your PTPTN loans as civil servants have witnessed mandatory salary deductions which began in September 2015 after they announced an automatic deduction formula in April.

With the Prime Minister urging public universities to seek out independent forms of funding, Malaysians are still calling for free education to be tabled in the 2016 budget proposal. (News: It wasn't, although the Ministry did say they were working on it).

The Malaysian National Service has announced that it will return next year with significant transformations.

Who can also forget the MARA-Taylors scholarship fiasco? Beginning with MARA saying that they will review Taylor’s University sponsorship, to then say they were not informed of discontinuing Taylors scholarship, to MoE announcing they were washing their hands off the problem.

Meanwhile, two Singaporean universities achieved top 15 in a global ranking, while Malaysia trailed far behind at top 150.

October

The haze did not make October's events go past in a blur, as we witnessed a grass cutter from Penang graduate to become a doctor and the announcement of SPM and STPM to go on despite the weather condition.

Other than the thin silver lining which gave us some hope, more bad news abound.

2000 plus students were stranded without a scholarship, while MARA announced that they will reduce overseas funding but maintain number of studentspursuing degree abroad.

There were also reports of students hoping for MARA loan after having begun pursuing their studies left hanging without any confirmation.

Also controversial when it was announced that despite having among the lowest tuition fees in the whole world, Malaysia still ranks as the 5th most expensive country to get a degree based on household income.

November

Rejoice and cheer! Good news abound this month of the year!

Despite, or probably propelled by one of the highest price increment for cigarette purchase in years, schools and universities are trying to curb the vaping phenomena by conducting research to proceed to a ban.

A new campus from China and offering a degree in traditional Chinese medicine, Xiamen University Malaysia Campus (XMUMC) in Sepang will begin its first intake in February 2016.

Selangor state-owned university, Unisel announced that it would recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) to prevent brain drain, while the Malaysian government has vowed to recognise more degrees from universities in India.

Meanwhile, MARA again proves its dedication to education by announcing that it’s second university will open for enrolment in 2016.

The annual Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) “Top 50 Under 50” University Rankings revealed four Malaysian universities under 50 years old in its top 50 ranks.

Malaysian teams emerged as champions in a Cambridge debating competition which saw stiff competition from Ivy League universities including Harvard, Oxford and Cornell University!

December

After a few months of assuring that students won't be affected by GST and the weakening Ringgit, Malaysia's Prime Minister, Najib Razak said that university fees may still see an increase in 2016.

He also proposed a new JPA scholarship model to prevent its scholars from shirking from their responsibilities and obligations

Although the Malaysian Ministry of Health has announced stricter requirements for medical graduates to proceed to housemanship, interest in pursuing doctor as a career has not waned as Universiti Malaya announced a special path to getting a medical degree.

In other good news, the Ministry of Higher Education declared that six universities have received the six-star rating of the Malaysia Research Assessment (MyRA) for 2014-2015.

Based on the recap, we will definitely expect more challenges in the future and hopefully Afterschool.my will continue to be the partner to your higher education solutions.

Happy New Year!