In Malaysia, the education is the responsibility of the Government and it is committed to providing a sound education to all. The Malaysian education system encompasses education beginning from pre-school to university. Pre-tertiary education (pre-school to secondary education) is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education (MOE) while tertiary or higher education is the responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). The vision of the Government is to make Malaysia a centre of educational excellence.
Primary and Secondary Education
Primary education (a period of 6 years) and secondary education (5 years which encompasses 3 years of lower secondary and 2 years of upper secondary) make up 11 years of free education.
The admission age to the first year of primary education is seven. Primary schooling is mandatory for all children between the ages of 7 and 12. Students sit for common public examinations at the end of primary, lower secondary and upper secondary levels.
Post-secondary Education
Upon completion of secondary education, students can opt to pursue 1 to 2 years of post-secondary education. This is the university entrance preparatory course. In total, the 12 years of school education serves as the basic entry requirement into Year One of a bachelor’s degree programme in higher educational institutions.
Tertiary Education
At tertiary education level, institutions of higher learning offer courses leading to the awards of certificate, diploma, first degree and higher degree qualifications (at academic and professional fields). The duration of study for a basic bachelor degree programme is 3 years and the courses of study at this level are provided by both the public and private education sectors, attracting many international students.
Tertiary education providers consist of two major groups :
Public (government-funded) institutions of higher learning, for example, public universities, polytechnics, community colleges and teacher training institutes.
Private (private-funded) higher educational institutions (PHEIs), for example, private universities, private university colleges, foreign branch campus universities and private colleges.
Government-funded Educational Institutions
The Government provides more than 95% of primary and secondary education as well as about 60% of the tertiary education, with the private sector providing the balance.
Private-funded Educational Institutions
The private education providers in Malaysia can be broadly grouped into 2 categories, depending on the levels of education offered, ranging from pre-school to tertiary education. These two categories of private institutions are :
Private Educational Institutions (PEIs) which provide education at preschool, primary and secondary levels. They comprise private schools and foreign system schools.
Private Higher Educational Institutions (PHEIs) which provide tertiary education leading to the awarding of certificate, diploma and degree qualifications.
Malaysian Education System
Under the Malaysian education system, a child begins his / her education with pre-school education at the age of four. When the child reaches the age of six on the first day of January of the current school year, he / she will enter the first year of the 6-year compulsory primary education. This is followed by five years of education at the secondary level.
The government provides 11 years of free primary and secondary education. However , further education is not automatic but subject to the individual's academic performance and financial capability. School leavers with SPM qualifications can opt to continue their education at post-secondary schools to obtain a pre-university qualification (such as the sixth form, matriculation programmes, GCE 'A' levels or other pre-university qualifications) or further their education at tertiary or higher educational institutions leading to the award of a certificate or diploma. At higher education level, study opportunities include certificate, diploma, and undergraduate as well as postgraduate studies.
Undergraduate studies consist of bachelor degree levels and professional studies while postgraduate studies consist of master degrees and PhDs. Generally, higher education at the diploma level is for secondary school certificate (SPM) holders from the age of 17 onwards whereas pursuing a bachelor degree requires post-secondary qualifications such as STPM (which is equivalent to the GCE 'A' level) or other equivalent pre-university qualifications.
The Malaysian education structure can be divided into pre-tertiary and higher education levels. There are two governing authorities in the education sector. Pre-tertiary education (i.e. from pre-school to secondary education and teacher education) is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) while higher education is the responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE).

English is used as the primary medium of instruction at most private higher educational institutions. However, most bachelor degree courses offered at public universities are taught in the national language, that is, Bahasa Melayu, while postgraduate studies are usually conducted in English.
Malaysia is currently the world's 11th most preferred study destination. According to UNESCO, Malaysia has captured a 2% market share of international students in the fast growing private education sector. With a population of 27.9 million in 2009 and more than a million Malaysian students in tertiary education, Malaysia also accommodates more than 80,000 international students.