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CONTENTS
Pertinent Laws and Policies bearing on the National Curriculum for Basic
Education
SHARIFAH MAIMUNAH
Pertinent Laws and Policies bearing on the National Curriculum for Basic Education
Legislation
The Education Act 1996 covers all levels of education under the national education
system, which comprises preschool, primary, and secondary education. Section 18 of the Act
stipulates the use of a national curriculum to be used in all schools. Specifically, section 18
stipulates the following:
1. The Minister shall prescribe a curriculum to be known as the National Curriculum
which, subject to subsection (3), shall be used by all schools in the National
Educational System.
2. The National Curriculum prescribed under subsection (1) shall specify the knowledge,
skills and values that are expected to be acquired by pupils at the end of their respective
periods of schooling and shall include the core subjects as set out in the Schedule and
such are the subjects as may be prescribed.
3. In the case of private schools, subsection (1) shall be deemed to have been complied
with if the core subjects of the National Curriculum as set out in the Schedule are
taught in the schools.
4. The Minister may from time to time by order published in the Gazette amend or alter
the Schedule.
In the Education (National Curriculum) Regulations 1997, the National Curriculum is
defined as:
an educational program that includes curricular and co-curricular activities which
emphasizes all the knowledge, skills, norms, values, cultural elements and beliefs to help
develop a pupil fully with respect to the physical, spiritual, mental and emotional aspects
as well as to inculcate and develop desirable moral values and to transmit knowledge.
The Education Regulations provide list of subjects for all levels of schooling as
prescribed in the National Curriculum. The list of subjects are categorized into
Elective subjects which are subjects other than the compulsory and the core subjects
chosen by pupils in government and government-aided schools according to their
interests, talents, abilities and potential.
Compulsory subjects that include all subjects other than the core subjects that must be
learned by all pupils in government and government-aided schools;
Core subjects which are subjects that must be learned by all pupils in government and
government-aided schools and private schools; and
Additional subjects are subjects taught in accordance with the Act in government and
government-aided schools.
Living Skills
Art Education/Music Education
Compulsory Subjects for Upper Secondary Level
Physical and Health Education
Additional Subjects for Secondary Level
Chinese Language
Tamil Language
Arabic Language (Communication)
Elective Subjects for Upper Secondary Level *
Group l (Humanities)
Malay Literature
Literature in English Language
Geography
Art Education
Advanced Arabic Language
Group ll (Vocational and Technology)
Principle of Accounts
Basic Economics
Commerce
Agriculture Science
Home Economics
Additional Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering Studies
Civil Engineering Studies
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Studies
Engineering Drawing
Engineering Technology
Invention
Group lll (Science)
Additional Science
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Group lV (Islamic Studies)
Tasawwur Islam
Al-Quran and As-Sunnah Education
Syariah Islamiah Education
(* The list of subjects was revised in 1999 with the introduction of the open certification
system)
1.1.b
The role of the school curriculum is to ensure the holistic development of the individual
mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally by imparting general knowledge and skills;
cultivating, instilling and fostering healthy attitudes and accepted moral values. The
curriculum aims to bring forth the Malaysian citizen who is a balanced and well-rounded
individual, trained, skillful, and cherishes the national aspiration for unity.
To fulfill this aspiration, the National Curriculum is formulated around a number of
principles as follows:
Life-long education.
Pre-school Education
In the pre-school curriculum emphasis is on the socialization process, personality
development and the preparation of children for primary schooling.
Primary Education
The ICPS emphasizes the mastery, reinforcement and application of the 3Rs, acquisition
of complex skills and knowledge, pre-vocational education as well as the development of
personality, attitudes and values.
Secondary Education
In the ICSS emphasis is on general education, the consolidation of skills acquired at
primary and pre-vocational level, the development of aptitude and interests, personality,
attitude and values as well as specialization, career and higher education.
The education and training systems will continue to be geared towards molding
individuals to become better Malaysians with the right attitudes, and to equip them with the
knowledge and skills necessary in the twenty-first century, and to make Malaysia a developed
nation by the year 2020. To meet the challenges of the twenty first-century and Vision 2020,
teaching and learning practices and school management will have to be reviewed in order to
prepare individuals who are technologically literate, creative and innovative workforce. This
transformation will entail changing the school culture, from one that is predominantly
memory-based to one that stimulates thinking and creativity, and innovative, caring and
informed.
The goals and objectives of education will therefore
Produce a technologically literate workforce that can think critically, are creative,
innovative and are able to use technology effectively.
1.1.d
Vision of a student completing a primary level, an elementary level, and a secondary level
education
The National Curriculum ensures that students will be able to acquire the essential
intellectual, affective and psychomotor skills in a holistic and integrated manner.
develop critical thinking skills through enquiry and the use of all the senses.
Mastery of ability to speak, read, write and understand the English language as a
second language
Ability to read, recite and understand the meaning of selected verses from the alQuran (Muslim students)
Patriotism
Competency in the Malay language and use of it as the official and national language
Visioning, or imaging the growth and development of students in the new millennium
Knowledgeable
IT literate
Patriotic
Innovative
Decisions related to curriculum matters at the national level lie with the Central
Curriculum Committee under the chairmanship of the director general of Education, sitting
with the heads of all professional divisions and relevant administrative divisions of the
Ministry of Education (MOE). Selected State Education directors and deans of the faculties of
education of local universities are also members of this committee. In wider policy matters or
where there are significant financial implications, approval is required from the Educational
Planning Committee under the chairmanship of the minister of Education.
The national curriculum prescribes flexibility in methodology. The responsibility for
curriculum policy, however, remains largely centralized, with the Curriculum Development
Centre (CDC) playing the major role in curriculum development. In developing the
curriculum, various agencies at the national and state levels, professional bodies and
stakeholders are actively involved in the consultation process. The views and
recommendations of the different stakeholders are taken into consideration at various stages
of curriculum development. In curriculum planning, development and design, the service of
competent moderators and experts/specialists available locally are sought. This is to ensure
the development of high-quality curriculum. Figure 1 shows a flowchart of the curriculum
development processes.
FLOWCHART OF
CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS
OTHER
DIVISIONS
EDUCATIONAL
PLANNING
COMMITTEE
CENTRAL
CURRICULUM
COMMITTEE
Input from
Divisions in
MOE & other
education
institutions
Teacher
Education
Division
Education
Technology
Division
Education
Planning and
Research
Division
Schools
Division
Textbook
Division
CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT
CENTRE
Schools
Inspectorate
Examination
Syndicate
Aminuddin
Baki Institute
Public
Opinions
Needs
Analysis
Research &
Planning
Design &
Develop
World
Trends and
Research
Findings
Policy /
Directives /
Mandate
Trial /
Limited
Implementa
tion
Disseminati
on and
Implementa
tion
Finance
Division
Services
Division
Technical
Education
Department
Islamic and
Moral
Education
Department
State
Education
Department
Supervision
and
Evaluation
EVALUATION AND
FEEDBACK
Basic Skills
Humanities
Arts and Recreation
Spirituality, Values and Attitudes
Living Skills
Co-Curriculum
The subjects taught in national primary schools and the time allocations in minutes per
week are as follows:
Subjects
300
210
210
180
180
60
60
30
30
120
60
60
30
1,440
For the national-type schools (Chinese/Tamil), the subjects and time allocations in
minutes per week are as follows:
Subjects
C
O
M
P
U
L
S
O
R
Y
150
300
90
210
150
150
60
60
30
30
60
150
120
30
1,440
Secondary Education
Secondary education is basically an extension of primary-level education. Education at
this level is general in nature and is divided into lower and upper secondary levels, and a
special year transition program known as Remove Class for pupils from the National-Type
Chinese and Tamil Primary Schools.
Remove Class
Remove Class is a transition year for pupils from the Chinese and Tamil medium schools to
acquire sufficient proficiency in Bahasa Melayu. However, pupils who have performed well
in the Primary Assessment Test (UPSR) are allowed to proceed directly to Form 1.
The subjects taught in Remove Class and the time allocated for them are as follows:
Subjects
week (minutes)
C
O
M
P
U
520
200
120
L
S
O
R
Y
Malay Language
English Language
Chinese/Tamil Language
Practical Use of Malay
Language
440
Art Education
Physical Education
Health Education
80
40
40
Malay Language
English Language
Mathematics
Islamic Education*
Moral Education+
Science
Integrated Living Skills
Geography
History
Health Education
Physical Education
Art Education/Music
Chinese/Tamil Language ++
Arabic Language++
(Communication)
240
200
200
160
120
200
160
120
120
40
40
80
120
240
Malay Language
English Language
Islamic Education*
Moral Education+
Mathematics
Science
History
Physical Education
Health Education
240
200
160
120
200
160
120
40
40
120
120
240
ELECTIVE SUBJECTS *
Pure Science
Biology
160
Physics
160
Chemistry
160
Additional Science
Additional Science
160
Islamic Studies
Al-Quran & As-Sunnah Studies 160
Syariah Islamiah Studies
160
Applied Arts
Home Economics
120
Principles of Accounting
160
Commerce
Home Science
160
Information Technology
Information Technology
160
Languages
Arabic Language
(Communication)
240
Higher Arabic Language
160
Chinese Language
120
Tamil Language
120
Technology
Additional Mathematics
160
Agricultural Science
160
Engineering Drawing
160
Mechanical Engineering
Studies
160
Civil Engineering Studies
160
Electrical & Electronics
Engineering Studies
160
Invention
Engineering Technology
Humanities
Malay Literature
Literature in English
Geography
Art Education
Music
Tasawwur Islam
160
160
120
120
120
120
120
160
* The list of subjects is offered with the introduction of the open certification system
Secondary Vocational Schools
Secondary vocational schools provide courses in pre-employment skills as well general
education in order to give its leavers flexibility and mobility in working life. These schools
offer courses in two streams, namely, the vocational education stream and the skills training
stream.
In the vocational education stream, emphasis is given to general and technical subjects in
order to provide students with a firm foundation for admission into polytechnics or other
institutions of higher education, without significantly affecting their vocational skills
development.
Vocational Education Stream
Students in the vocational stream pursue courses with greater emphasis upon academic
subjects. The subjects offered at the Vocational Education Stream are as follows:
ACADEMIC
Core Subjects
Malay Language
English Language
Science
Practise
Mathematics
Islamic Education
Moral Education
VOCATIONAL
Areas
Engineering Trades
Courses
Electrical
Electronics
Machine Shop
Welding and Metal
Fabrication
Automotive
Building
Construction
Refrigeration & Air
Conditioning
(Syllabus is similar to that offered
in academic schools)
Home Economics
Catering
Fashion
Design/Dressmaking
Beauty Culture
Child Care
Bakery and
Confectionery
Commerce
management
Office Management
Business
Agriculture
Ornamental
Horticulture
Farm Machinery
Farm Management
The one-year course in specific trades offers holders of SPM certificates and NVTC
certificate skills training in the areas listed in the following table.
Domestic Plumbing
Tool and Dye Making
Draftsman Civil Engineering
Millwright
Draftsman Architecture
Mechanical Drafting
Signcraft
Advanced Automotive (Diesel)
Tiling and Flooring
Advanced Automotive (General)
Advanced Furniture Making
Advanced Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning
Instrument Maintenance (Electronics)
Advanced Welding
Industrial Electronics
Foundry Practice
Spray Painting and Panel Beating
Integrating the Principle of Learning throughout Life
In view of the challenges of the twenty-first century and other changing needs, the whole
school curriculum was revised in 1999. The newly revised curriculum will be implemented in
stages nationwide beginning in 2002.
The basis of the revised curriculum have considered the following aspects:
technology, socio-
International understanding
Cultural understanding.
iii.
Science
Manipulative skills.
iv. Mathematics
v.
Arithmetic
Problems-solving skills.
Cultural understanding
Art appreciation
vi. Vocational
Manipulative skills
Creativity
Career options.
vii. Technology
Manipulative skills
Technological applications
Computer literacy
ICT skills.
viii.
Technical and vocational education aims to provide basic employable skills and work
ethics required in the work place. They are also used to provide a strong academic foundation
for the preparation of technical subjects and specialization; to provide individuals with
competencies that meet industrial standards.
The components of the curriculum consist of:
Basic employable skills and work ethics (academic skills, personal management
skills, teamwork skills)
Work-based learning activities which provide learning experiences, such as work shadowing,
mentoring, cooperative learning, community services, internship, and apprenticeship.
The mental (thinking, reasoning, etc.) faculties, emotional skills and qualities, the
creative/aesthetic sense, the spiritual well being or the self-knowledge, discovery and
development to be encouraged among students (learning to be)
The thrust of the national education philosophy is the development of the good man
who is intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious.
Accordingly, the good man should have a firm belief in and obedience to God; be
knowledgeable, possesses living skills; possesses high moral standards; responsible to
himself/herself, society and nation; contributes to the well being of society; the nation and to
mankind; and has a balanced personality.
To equip individuals with the appropriate knowledge, skills, strong moral and ethical
values, emotional skills and spiritual well being (learning to be), the curriculum design
focuses on several components, namely:
Pedagogical approaches in the classroom place emphasis on thinking and creativity through:
Student-centred strategies such as inquiry and discovery, self-access learning, selfpaced, and self- directed.
Attitudes and values are given emphasis to produce virtuous individuals who are
responsible and able to contribute towards the prosperity and development of the nation.
Values education is taught through Islamic Religious Education and Moral Education in both
the elementary and secondary levels. The national curriculum stipulates that Islamic
Education is compulsory for Muslim students, and moral education is compulsory for nonMuslim students.
The Islamic education curriculum places emphasis on values and attitudes as follows:
Values imparted in Moral Education cut across different social, ethnic, and religious
interests. The core values are compassion, self-resilience, humility, respect, love, justice,
freedom, courage, physical and mental cleanliness, honesty, diligence, cooperation,
moderation, gratitude, rationality, and public spiritedness.
(b) Promoting Interdisciplinarity in Basic Education Curriculum
The school curriculum is subject-based and is designed for using both content-based and
outcome-based approaches. The content-based approach lists the topics or themes of the
subject area and lists of abilities or skills that students are expected to acquire or master for
the topics or themes.
Coherence and integration between and across subject areas are emphasized. The concept
of integration is manifested as follows:
Integration of skills in a subject, e.g., in language teaching, oral skills, aural skills,
reading and writing are incorporated in a lesson;
Integration of knowledge and practice, e.g., food and nutrition in health education
put into practice in eating habits;
To make learning more interesting, motivating and meaningful, instructional methods and
pedagogies will be oriented towards more holistic approaches. In the newly revised
curriculum, due emphasis will be on classroom teaching and learning processes. Teachers will
be required to
A list of teaching and learning strategies that have been identified include
Mastery learning
Self-access learning
Contextual learning
Web-based learning
Plans, manages and coordinates courses organized for teachers by the State Education
Department;
At the district level, the District Curriculum Committee carries out the planning and
implementation activities. Similarly, at the school level, the School Curriculum Committee
provides guidance and assistance for implementing the curriculum at the school and
classroom levels, as shown in figure 2.
Existing infrastructure support for the national curriculum (i.e., adequacy of classrooms
and physical facilities, and of equipment, laboratories and libraries in schools and learning
centres)
To ensure effective teaching and learning at all levels schools are provided with better
facilities, for example, science laboratories, computer laboratories, and workshops for living
skills and home science are provided. The number of primary schools and secondary schools
with such facilities in year 2000 is shown in table 1 below:
Table 1: Laboratories and Workshops In Primary and Secondary Schools (Year 2000)
Types of School
Skills Home Science
Science
Computer
Living
Laboratories*
Laboratories
Workshops
Primary Schools
5,447
1,860
4,184
Secondary Schools
1,406
9,846
1,340
3,255
Workshops
-
Textbooks
Textbooks prescribed are in the recommended lists released by the Ministry of Education.
A range of alternatives is available for the secondary level. In Malaysia, textbooks continue to
be useful as the main resource for teachers and students alike. The textbooks produced by the
Textbooks Division of the Ministry of Education are transformation or interpretation of the
syllabus gives to the students. The syllabus forms the integral framework of which the
textbooks are conceived and produced. Several main factors have been taken into
consideration and strongly emphasized in the development of Malaysian textbooks, i.e., local
Malaysian context and universal moral values. The textbooks are free from
sensitive/negative/subversive elements and stereotyping.
All students have access to approved textbooks, either by availing themselves of the
Textbook Loan Scheme or by purchasing their own books. The Textbook Loan Scheme
provides free textbooks on loan to needy pupils especially those from the rural and poor areas
in order to equalize educational opportunities in line with the National Educational Policy.
The scheme also aims to reduce the financial burden on poor parents who have school-age
children. Beneficiaries are determined by parents income. Pupils parents with monthly
income of less than RM1,000 are eligible to receive textbooks on loan.
Instructional Materials
There are several types of instructional materials provided by the Ministry of Education:
a. Subject syllabi (primary/secondary level), which indicate general aims, objectives and
content organization.
b. Syllabus
specification
with
detailed
explanation
of
the
learning
objectives/outcomes/scope and sequence of skills/competencies/knowledge to be acquired
for each level of schooling.
c. Teachers guidebooks, resource books for teachers, learning kits with suggested
strategies/approaches and classroom activities.
d. Teaching and learning modules.
There are three types of pre-service courses conducted at the teachers training colleges,
namely:
STPM/HSC (Higher School Certificate) with 3 credits, which include a pass in Malay
language at SPM/MCE level.
quick way of getting information spread down to the roots. Selected key personnel from each
state attend training courses at the national level in the Curriculum Development Centre or
Examination Division of the MOE. These resource personnel then conduct courses at the
state/district level. Teachers selected to attend courses will disseminate information to fellow
teachers at their schools.
To help teachers implement the new curriculum programmes, instructional materials,
such as teachers guidebook for the respective subjects and teaching-learning modules, are
published by the CDC and disseminated to all schools.
Semester
Component
Education in M alaysia I & II
II
10 hrs
Educational
Psychology I & I I
2 Cr
30 hrs
Total
number
of hours
Credit
(Cr)
3
35
10
2 Cr
30 hrs
1 Cr
15 hrs
2 Cr
30 hrs
Pedagogy I , I I and I I I
IV
2 Cr
20hrs
Total
III
4 Cr
60hrs
60
90
2 Cr
30 hrs
I Cr
15 hrs
2 Cr
30 hrs
I Cr
15 hrs
I Cr
15 hrs
45
3 Cr
45 hrs
3 Cr
45 hrs
2 Cr
30 hrs
240
16
School inspectors look into and assess the teaching and learning aspects, use of teaching
and learning materials, school management which includes management of school office,
basic facilities, textbook loans and discipline. Also assessed is the management style, overall
school climate and students behavior. The school inspectors guide and advice teachers and
discuss recommendations with them and the school principals. Reports on the inspection are
sent to the schools concerned and the State Education director.
In addition, an instrument of the Education Quality Standard Improvement (EQSI)
tailored to meet individual needs of the school was formulated by the Education Ministrys
School Inspectorates with the aim of improving the quality of schools. Schools are required to
assess their own quality standard and work towards its improvement. The EQSI instrument
comprises four main categories, namely, management development, human resource
development, educational development and organizational development.
At the state level, the subject supervisors of the State Education Departments also conduct
continuous supervision to monitor the implementation of the various subjects. The District
Education Offices also constantly monitor and supervise the implementation of the
curriculum.
Monitoring and evaluation are normally carried out in every phase of curriculum
implementation. In addition to the supervision by the school inspectors and subject
supervisors at the State Education Departments, monitoring and supervision are also carried
out by the various divisions within the Ministry of Education, i.e., Curriculum Development
Centre, Examination Syndicate, the School Division, Teacher Education Division and
Education Planning and Policy Research Division. The area of focus differs for each
division.
Achievement indicators
The enrolment rates in government and government aided schools are shown in below.
Level of Education
1990
%
1999
%
Pop.
Age 6 11+
Primary *
94.92
Pop.
Age 12+ 15+
2,451,800
3,019, 728
2,447,206
99.81
2,866,435
1,135, 300
1,474,798
942,801
83.04
1,246,131
735,500
36l,411
49.14
Lower Secondary
84.50
Pop.
Age 16+ 17+
Upper Secondary
70.86
948,244
671,900
(Tamil)
Lang.
(W)
1996
1997
53.6
54.0
85.9
87.0
80.84
81.6
66.9
70.3
59.7
63.9
41.7
43.5
51.8
46.8
47.2
46.5
24.3
31.1
1998
55.5
87.3
78.8
63.9
61.4
42.9
45.1
45.3
31.5
1999
56.9
87.5
78.9
62.8
64.3
44.2
47.7
44.5
24.9
In the national schools, the medium of instruction is the Malay language. The medium of
instruction in the National Type School (Chinese) is Chinese Language and in the NationalType School (Tamil), Tamil language.
The Primary School Assessment Test results for mathematics and science for the years
1996 to 1999 is shown below.
Table 4:
Results of the Primary School
Mathematics (19961999)
National Schools
Schools (Tamil)
Science
Math
Math
1996
1997
1998
1999
74.9
76.0
74.3
74.5
75.0
77.5
76.2
Math
90.0
90.2
90.2
90.0
Science
69.2
67.2
66.7
65.2
65.7
68.6
70.9
One strength in the practice of curriculum development is the collective and participative
nature of decision making on curriculum matters. Although certain agencies are responsible
for the school curriculum, the actual planning, development and other related activities are
shared out. The participation of various stakeholders ensures that related activities are
coordinated.
The national curriculum is an integrated curriculum emphasizing on the holistic
development of the students. It provides opportunities for the students to develop basic skills,
knowledge, values, attitudes, interests and talents. Specifically, the national curriculum
develops skills in the following aspects:
Social skills
Intellectual skills
Physical skills
Spiritual skills
Moral values
The emphasis given to the curricular programmes thus expose the students to relevant
skills needed by the nation. The national curriculum ensures that the nations youth today are
well prepared to face an increasingly competitive and challenging world of tomorrow.
For the successful implementation of the national curriculum, concerted efforts are made
to expand infrastructure support and physical facilities, such as libraries, science laboratories,
workshops for subjects like living skills and home science to schools. Various measures
aimed at improving teaching and learning processes are also implemented.
The Ministry of Education ensures the availability of suitable teachers to implement the
curriculum. Qualified and trained teachers teach the students. The pre-service and in-service
training courses provided to the teachers by the Ministry of Education enhance the quality of
the delivery system. The professionalism of the teachers from diverse subject specializations
is given emphasis.
Textbooks and other instructional materials reflecting innovative teaching and learning
strategies are made available to all schools. Students from the lower income group and
disadvantaged areas are given student-aid through the textbook loan scheme. In addition,
specific materials have been prepared for students and reference materials are also readily
available.
Its weaknesses
The Curriculum Development Centres ICPS and ICSS guidelines for implementation
strongly suggest group work as a teaching-learning strategy but large-sized classes of
approximately 40-50 students hinder teachers from practicing it. Students are usually taught
as a class even when they are organized into groups. Group work, which is intended to be a
pedagogical change is not functioning as suggested by planners but is treated as simply a
reorganization of seating arrangement of students.
Teacher attitude is another constraint to effective curriculum implementation. Most
teachers prefer traditional approaches despite having been exposed to new curricular concepts
and student-centred teaching approaches.
The emphasis is on examination results. Schools focus on academic excellence in public
examination while parents are concerned about their childrens grades and test scores. As a
result, learning is directed towards preparing students for examinations.
Teachers are over dependent on commercially produced materials rather than teachermade materials. These commercially produced materials may not be suitable to the students
abilities.
Wrong placement of teachers is also a barrier to effective curriculum implementation.
Qualified teachers do not teach the subject of their option but are made to teach other
subjects. Some teachers cannot teach effectively as they do not have the requisite knowledge
and skills to teach the subjects assigned to them.
The weakness in the dissemination strategy is another constraint. The cascade system of
using key personnel has resulted in the dilution of messages, which the curriculum planners
and developers have conceptualized.
To realize the goals and objectives of the national curriculum, some recommendations are
made to improve the quality of the curriculum and to prepare students to meet the challenges
of the twenty-first century. The following are some of the recommendations:
Foster acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes suitable for the Information
Age.
The scope of assessment has to be more holistic. It will not only cover achievement
progress but also readiness, aptitude and talents to provide full information regarding the
students performance. It will also be learner-friendly and open to continuous improvement.
Assessment of teaching learning will use:
School-based assessment
Students folios
Education in Malaysia operates within the context of rapid social and economic change.
The curriculum must help students to be adaptable and to play their full part in this changing
environment. Recent initiatives in curricular reforms are focused on enabling students to
develop skills to cope with new areas of knowledge and development in technology.
Status of Implementation
i.
Outcome-based learning
In 19992000, a major curricular review for both primary and secondary curriculum was
undertaken. In the newly revised curriculum, emphasis is on outcome-based learning. The
learning outcomes are set out in three levels to indicate progression and continuity of
learning. All students are expected to reach level 1.
ii. Introduction of new subjects
At upper secondary level new subjects have been introduced progressively in selected
schools nationwide. These subjects are:
Invention
Information Technology
Music Education
Mastery Learning
Contextual Learning
Constructivism
Multiple Intelligence
Modular Learning
Futures Studies
Science-process skills
Patriotisme
Environmental Education
Computer literacy projects aimed at enabling students to acquire basic knowledge and
skills in the use of computer software applications;
Education network whereby local area network (LAN) has been set up in
participating schools;
Electronic resource centers, which provide Internet access in the school resource
centers;
Several factors facilitate the implementation of curricular reform initiatives, such as the
recent introduction of new subjects and programmes in schools. The facilitating factors
include findings of research and studies, public opinions, world trends, social and economic
needs and political pressures. In addition, curricular reform initiatives in Malaysia are further
facilitated with the existence of the following supporting factors at varying degrees:
The governments continued efforts to expand and improve education and training
through increase in the budget for education;
The experience over the years of the nations education policy in enhancing quality
and access to education to meet the needs of the rapid national development;
Continuous training received by officers, both locally and overseas, covering a wide
range of topics which helps the officers to gain more knowledge and experience in
planning and implementing curricular reform initiatives;
Public awareness and support in carrying out educational reforms to fulfill the
requirements of cultural, social, and economic development;
The nations aspiration to produce specialists and IT-literate workers who are
technically competent to enable the nation to compete internationally and meet the
demands of the K-economy in the twenty-first century;
Efforts by both the government and private sectors to intensify the acquisition and
application of information and communication technologies in all fields of life as a
result of globalization and modernization; and
The national curriculum is appropriate for the respective age groups. It is dynamic, childcentred and responsive to the diverse groups that are represented in each classroom.
The integrated approach as the main focus in the design of the national curriculum is well
received. There is intra- and inter-subject integration in all the subjects in the curriculum. In
the curriculum, the elements of knowledge, skills and values are incorporated in order to
bring about the integrated development of the intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical
aspects of the individual.
The national curriculum provides contents which are Malaysian oriented and of much
local relevance. The curriculum addresses issues of local and national concerns with more
local application from the Malaysian perspective.
Revised recently, the national curriculum stresses the different levels of learning
outcomes, with appropriate teaching learning approaches, strategies and instructional
materials for students with different needs and capabilities. The use of ICT is given
emphasis. The curriculum provides the foundation for students to cope with everyday life and
life-long education.
Proposals for advancing the new framework for a basic education curriculum
For the implementation of the newly revised curriculum for basic education in 2002
2006, a number of activities have been identified in table form below.
ACTIVITY
YEAR
2002 2005
2002 2006
On-going
2002
On-going
approaches and
Aim
Investigating the
technology
world
Investigating the
earth and
universe
Investigating the
material world
Investigating the
physical world
Investigating the
living world
Aim and
Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Teaching and
Learning
Strategies
Teaching
Approaches
Interest
in science and
technology