This policy has led to a significant number of Malaysians becoming qualified in STEM fields.Īlongside this effort to provide education for all and to emphasize STEM education for all, the Malaysian government expanded girls’ schools, providing the impetus girls needed to participate more fully in education. At present, 46.72% of students in upper secondary 5, the last year of upper secondary school, choose the STEM stream 48.85% of the girls are in the STEM stream (MoE, 2014). This policy encourages students with good scores on science and mathematics tests at the lower secondary school level to enter the science stream at the upper secondary level, and take more STEM subjects. In the 1970s, the government of Malaysia focused on the need for more STEM students, both girls and boys, in order to become a developed nation, and the 60:40 Policy was formulated. With this background, Malaysia has achieved nearly universal education at both primary and secondary levels (MoE, 2015).
Stem girl engineering free#
Education has been provided free for all students since 2012. In 2003, compulsory education was extended to lower secondary school, assuring 9 years of education. All children were required to attend and complete primary education as stipulated in the Education Act of 1996, which resulted in the establishment of more schools in urban, suburban, and rural areas. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the government spearheaded many education plans that aimed to provide education to all children regardless of gender. Gender stereotyping was common in the society: women were expected to marry young, bear children, and do housework. In the 1960s, Malaysia faced the reality of gender disparity in education and in the workplace girls’ enrolment in schools, especially secondary schools, was low, and few women were in the professions, particularly in the fields of science and technology, which were largely male dominated. Half of these children are girls (MoE, 2016). As of 2015, the enrolment rate was 84.6% for preschool children, 98% for primary school, 92.5% for lower secondary, and 85% for upper secondary. Malaysian girls are performing well in STEM from primary schools up to university, in both academic and extracurricular areas. On the education front, in 2015, women constituted more than 50% of students across all STEM-related courses, except engineering, in third-level education. Since the early 1970s, the country has made great efforts to increase the percentage of women in the workforce one result is an increase of 95%, across all fields, from 2,374,300 in 1990 to 4,689,700 in 2012 (MoHR, 2012). The government also recognizes the need to capitalize on female participation to promote its economic and national development (Mohamed, 2011). The Malaysian government identified STEM as one of the catalysts for transforming the country into a developed nation by 2020, ensuring sufficient STEM-related human capital, resources, and infrastructure. Women’s participation in STEM: The current situation in Malaysia Embracing for decades the need for both STEM and equal opportunities for women, Malaysia has achieved a great deal and intends to keep raising the proportions of women who participate in STEM and other arenas. And yet, women account for only 28% of researchers worldwide and the percentage drops at higher levels of decision-making (UNESCO, 2015a). These developments make it imperative that both women and men play important roles. Likewise, the emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is considered a driving force for national and global economic development. The Education 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, spearheaded by UNESCO and supported by its Member States, has a clear vision for enhancing female participation in education.
Realizing this, many countries have embarked on productive plans to gradually increase opportunities for women to access education and training in higher skills. Traditionally perceived as family caregivers, women have long been sidelined in national and international development efforts. But history shows that women have not always been provided equal opportunities to gain an education and to master higher-level skills. Each citizen must be empowered if they are to have the skills to earn a living and collectively usher the country toward a higher living standard. Enhancing human potential is crucial, and the key to improving the wellbeing of individuals and communities.
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