EQUITY IN MALAYSIAN EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND PATHWAYS TO PROGRESS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJMOE.830008Keywords:
Educational Disparities, Equity in Education, Inclusive Education, Malaysia, Malaysia Madani, Social JusticeAbstract
Education equity is important for national development in Malysia, yet there are disparities across the socioeconomic strata, geographic locales, and resource availability. By examining this intricate inequity, this paper synthesises the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 and analyses extant policies and interventions which aimed at promoting equity. Meanwhile, the main challenges are to bridge the digital divide, provide resources for rural schools, and ensure quality teaching across all communities. Effective strategies that require holistic measures is needed to integrate technology equitably, foster parental engagement, and promote culturally responsive teaching that values diverse backgrounds (OECD, 2023). Classroom instruction, extracurricular activities, co-curricular activities, and community service should be encouraged to support holistic education aside having regular classroom instruction. According to Kantova (2024), schools should engage parents actively in their children’s education process and their involvement is a crucial factor in student success. Additionally, teachers' qualifications are essential for student development. The success of these initiatives can be measured through student surveys, teacher feedback, and assessments of students' non-cognitive skills. This conceptual paper aims to explore the contributing factors to educational inequalities and provides a few recommendations for educators and policymakers, which leading towards a more equitable and developed Malaysia Madani.
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