Malaysia Education in Financial and Study Path - Analyses and Thoughts (based on my perspective/experience)

     Assalamualaikum and I hope this entry meets you in the pink of health. For this first entry, I want to discuss my experience with our education especially in Malaysia and how it affects my family members in general. I would also want to discuss the quality of it in terms of finance and study path. So let's get started. For each terms, I want to present some issues that been happening to my family with education system and how the government and any institution come to help with their part.

1. Finance

    Financial management is a very big part of my big family. My grandmother is just a FELDA residence. But luckily my family has enough financial income to support my siblings and cousins' financial in their education. Let's take a look some financial aid provided by the government that my family and I had received or applied.

1.1 Bantuan Kewangan Asasi (Foundation Allowance)

    This allowance has been very helpful for me in my foundation years. This allowance is under Ministry of Higher Education. The amount of RM 3,920 a year/throughout study period is very reasonable if and only if the students can manage their financial wisely. That RM 3,920 is a summation of allowance (RM 2,500/year) and for hostel and tuition fee (RM 1,420/year). Not only that, the flight fare is also covered for Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan students to West Malaysia and vice versa.

1.2 Bantuan Dermasiswa Pengajian Tinggi

    This financial aid is provided by Lembaga Zakat Selangor. My cousin is one of the recipient of the assistance. A brief about my cousin: he is a needy student and he has no father and his mother suffer from mental problem. Thus, this financial aid is very suitable and very helpful towards him. This assistance only applicable for needy, poor, and muallaf (person newly converts to Islam) students. Due to personal reasons, my cousin doesn't want to state the amount of his assistance to this article but he did say that this is reasonable for him.

1.3 Program Ijazah Dalam Negara (PIDN)

    This program is a sponsorship that focuses on undergraduate students who are studying at Public Universities, Premier Polytechnics and Government Linked Universities (GLU). The sponsorship is in Convertible Loan. Previous financial aids are a scholarship kind of aid but this one is a loan but convertible to scholarship with some requirements. My cousin applied this to help in her financial state.

1.4 Budget 2021

    I want to touch a bit about the financial assistance provided and stated in recent Budget 2021 that can be beneficial for all students. A whooping RM50.4 billion for the education ministry accounting for 15.6% of the overall budget. Some notable highlight would be RM420 million for the Supplementary Food Programme for students, RM45 million for special needs education, and RM50 million to upgrade internet connectivity in universities from 500Mbps to 10Gbps.

1.5 Conclusion

    This show how much the government take cares of Malaysian students' financial to finish their studies. This should be applaud and we as a Malaysian must show our gratitude for this abundance of help.

Let's move on to another part of Malaysia education that has not been talked about but I do have some experience and some thoughts.

2. Study Path

    Not everyone is the same. We must admit that not all students are good in Mathematics. Some students are artistic, analytic, socialist, and more. Thus, the government must make sure to include all kinds of students until they succeeded with great result and job opportunities. Now let me introduce some notable study destination that my family and I had taken.

2.1 Foundation Studies

    This is my study destination after my SPM. Foundation Studies is a pre-university programme offered by Malaysian private institutions of higher learning designed to prepare students for the subjects and courses they will be undertaking during degree. I really enjoy my foundation years. It really helped me to get ready with my undergraduate. Not only that, it is a very fast route for me. Foundation programmes provide one of the fastest avenues for you to do just that, with its duration taking a measly 12 months. This a great for opportunities for students who are dedicated and loves a fast pace of learning.

2.2 Special Education

    This one is a bit different to discuss about. I am fortunate enough to have another cousion who has problem in learning which is extremely weak in learning. He is also a holder of OKU card. This is very important because we don't want to exclude anyone from learning. My cousin is 16 years old and now is learning in school with special education, so he learns cooking, planting, and just simple reading, writing, and counting.

3. Is Malaysia abiding to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)? And Conclusion

    Does Malaysia follow the Goal 4 in SDG? In my opinion, yes but to an extend. One of the target on tis Goal is ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant which is Malaysia abiding with the financial aid and the holistic approach to all the students whether needy, problematic, or the unstable ones. 

    One target that should be implemented more is to ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development. The knowledge about sustainable issues and development are yet to implemented in Primary and Secondary school level. Luckily, the Higher Education has been implemented this goal.

    As a conclusion and closure to this whole analyses and experience, I would like to say that we should always study. Knowledge is power. We must always sustain our ability and protect our intellect just like how the Maqasid Shariah encourage us too. With knowledge we can expand our horizon of assistance and help and reach to everyone so we can together live happily and peacefully.