Children in Malaysia begin their education as early as at the age of four at pre-schools although this is not compulsory. Primary education starts when the child reaches the age of six on the first day of January of the current school year. Prior to 2015, only six years of primary education were compulsory but after 2015, the five years of secondary education were also made compulsory. The government provides free education for six years at primary level and five years at secondary level. At the end of the secondary education, students sit for a common public examination namely the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), equivalent to the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in the United Kingdom (UK).
Survey: Discrimination in Education
According to the article by Kenneth Tee, published in the Malay Mail on 16 September 2021, a survey by the Sekolah Semua youth movement has revealed that more ethnic Indians in Malaysia felt they suffered from discrimination in the country's education system compared to other ethnic groups. Read further here on the survey.
Alleged Discrimination Cases
- Saree Case in Kajang, Selangor
- Pottu Case in Tasik Gelugor, Pulau Pinang
