Rethinking The Impact and Issue of International Schools in Malaysia
摘要
International schools in Malaysia are unique and play an essential role in the Malaysian education system. International schools offer diverse curricula to develop international thinking and create global awareness among students in preparation for overseas studies. The schools provide an English learning environment that matches the needs of many parents. However, international schools need help with quality teaching workforce and market competition. An overview of the impact of international schools on Malaysia’s educational system is given in this chapter. In addition, by gathering data through interviews with chosen school administrators and cross-referencing the data with secondary sources, this chapter also examined current issues faced by international schools. The findings indicated problems with teacher recruitment in Malaysian international schools, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as social and cultural barriers, language barriers, and a decline in student enrolment. This chapter also described how the administrators dealt with their problems, including proactive planning before the start of the new academic year, acceptance of the inevitable rise of online recruiting, social support provision, language support establishment, and student recruitment through local promotion. In addition to providing empirical information on current issues experienced at a sample of international schools in Malaysia, this chapter aims to contribute to the expanding body of research on international education in this country.