Comparison of Malaysian

Education System to
Philippine Education
System
Reporter: Leonila A. Perez
 Philippines Similarities Malaysia

❖ Department of Education for

basic education level,
❖ Commission on Higher Edu
cation
 (CHED) supervises and
1. Government regulates colleges and
universities Ministry of Education Malaysia
Agency
❖ Technical Education and
Skills Development
Authority (TESDA) for
technical-vocational
courses and middle
education.

2. Medium of Instruction MTB, Filipino, English Bahasa Melayu, English


- Basic Education (Preschool,
3. Structure of Education Primary, Secondary)
- Higher Education
Preschool ( Kindergarten )
Primary – 6 years
4. Years of Schooling - Secondary
a. Junior High – 4 years
b. Senior High – 2 years
The school system is structured on a
6+3+2+2 model, primary education,
lower secondary education, upper
secondary, pre-university senior
secondary study.
-primary education --- 6 years
-lower secondary education – 3 years
-upper secondary -- 2 years
- Primary ( 6 years)
- pre-university senior
secondary study. --- 2 years
- Tertiary Education

National Achievement Test
For Grade 6, 10, and 12.
5. Exams The National Career
Assessment Examination
(NCAE) is now being
administered for Grade 9
6. Academic Year - June to April of the next year
-  Primary School Achievement Test /
Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah
(PSAT / UPSR). 
- Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR)
or the Lower Secondary
Assessment (LSA) at the end of the
third year at the lower secondary
level (Form 3)
- Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, SPM (also
known as the Malaysian Certificate
of Education) taken by all Form 5
students
- Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia
(STPM)* which is equivalent to GCE
A levels qualification, or Sijil Tinggi
Agama Malaysia (STAM).
- January to November
 Philippines Similarities Malaysia
Upper Secondary
• Academic (arts or
science stream)
Senior High • Technical and
(Three Tracks): chemistry, biology, Vocational
- Accountancy, Business and Mgt. (technical,
physics, additional vocational or skills
(ABM) mathematics and English
- Humanities and Social Sciences training stream)
for science and technology • Religious
7. Subjects (HUMSS)
mathematics, science, Students in the
Taught - Science, Technology,
civics/moral education, academic science
Engineering, Mathematics stream must take:
(STEMS) physical education, health
chemistry, biology,
education, music and physics, additional
visual arts mathematics and
English for science
and technology.

.
 Philippines Similarities Malaysia
Technical stream include:
mechanical engineering,
civil engineering,
electrical engineering,
agriculture, commerce,
- food management and
fashion studies.
In the vocational stream,
students can choose
from: electrics,
automotive, catering,
computer programming.
 Similaritie
Philippines Malaysia
s
The first session goes from
approx. 7.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.
-some subjects schedule and is mostly followed by
everyday compulsory co-curricular
activities. The afternoon
session, on the other hand,
8. Class -Dismissal time: 4:30 – 5PM lasts until approx. 6.45 p.m. As
some student live in a large
Schedule distance to the schools, they
arrive home at around 8 or 9
p.m. and this already in
primary schools.
References:
❖ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Malaysia

❖ https://wenr.wes.org/2014/12/education-in-malaysia

❖ https://wise.com/au/blog/malaysian-education-overview
5 Ways You Can Become a Teacher in
Malaysia
Being a teacher is one of the most rewarding jobs in
the world. Realising the impact you can bring to even
one student’s life can be scary (what if you teach the
wrong thing?), yet powerful. However, educating
someone is not merely depositing as much knowledge
as you can, but it’s sparking an interest in subjects they
didn’t like before and helping them discover something
they never thought they could do. Aren’t you just dying
to know how to become a teacher now? Well, here are
five ways to become a teacher in Malaysia.
1) SPM > PISMP > SK
• Program Persediaan Ijazah Sarjana Muda
Perguruan (PPISMP) is a 1-year preparatory course
for all students to enter into Program Ijazah
Sarjana Muda Perguruan (PISMP) for another 4
years. This course is only provided at Teacher’s
Training Institutes (IPG) across the country. Upon
the 5-year completion, you will receive a degree in
education and are now able to teach in
any government primary schools in Malaysia.
What you need to apply:
• Malaysian
• Not more than 20 years old
• Healthy
• Active in extracurricular activities
• SPM: Obtain excellent grades (Excellent grades include A+, A
and A-) in any five subjects (the minimum requirement)
• Obtain credits in Bahasa Malaysia, History and pass English
• Meet the eligibility requirements in the field of specialization
chosen.
• Duration: 5 years
2) SPM > Matriculation > Degree > SMK
• This happens to be the most common route for
students. Do note that you’ll have to obtain credits for
every subject in SPM. After completing your SPM, you
will proceed to do your Matriculation for 1 or 2 years.
Upon completion, you can then apply for a degree in
education where at the end of your studies, you’ll be
placed to teach in secondary schools across the
country.
• Duration: 5 years
3) SPM > STPM > Degree > SMK

A majority of teachers have opted this route because

STPM happens to be one of the most affordable pre-
university programmes. This pathway is ideal for those
who did not achieve excellent grades in SPM but would
still like to be a teacher. After completing STPM for 1.5
years, you may pursue your degree in education for
roughly 3 years and you’ll be posted to secondary
schools.
Duration: 4.5 years
4. SPM > Diploma > Degree > SMK

If you’ve taken the diploma route, you still can

be a teacher! Your next step is to study a
Degree in Education. The best part about
taking a diploma? You get a one-year
exemption from degree. This means that you
can skip the first year and dive straight into
second year of degree. 
Duration: 5 years
5) SPM > Pre-U / Diploma > Degree > Teach for
Malaysia > SK/SMK
•
While this route may seem like the longest, it is a beam of hope to those
who did not study a Degree in Education but decided to teach instead.
Teach for Malaysia is an NGO specially designed to provide a second
chance for graduates to teach in government schools, be it primary or
secondary. Don’t worry, you will be paid the same as other teachers who
took other routes.
• One of the unique concepts in Teach for Malaysia is to impart whatever
you’ve studied and help them learn in creative ways that will spark an
interest and enhance their creativity. For example, if you studied a degree
in Music (which is irrelevant to a Degree in Education), use the skill and
knowledge you’ve gained to teach History by rapping! The point is to pique
the interest of students and help them discover that learning is a part and
parcel of life. The sky’s the limit.
Reference:
https://afterschool.my/careers-advice/5-ways-
you-can-become-a-teacher-in-malaysia

Thanks for listening.