National secondary schools in Malaysia will do away with streaming. In the past, students were given the option to choose from Arts or Science streams when they completed their Form 3 (equivalent to Year 9). With the new curriculum in place starting January 2020, students will be able to choose subjects from the Arts or Science streams, on top of compulsory subjects such as English, Mathematics, History and Bahasa Malaysia subjects. The effort is in line with the Government’s intention to make Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STREAM) accessible to all.   

Commentary by Tiu (kianwee.tiu@britishcouncil.org.my)

Abolishing streaming might affect students’ enrolment into Further and Higher Education Institutions, especially students who plan to study more specialised courses, such as Engineering, Allied Health and Law. These courses require students to complete specific subjects in secondary schools i.e. Foundation in Engineering requires Physics, Additional Mathematics and Mathematics. Students and parents will need to understand the institutions' entry requirements prior to selecting the subjects. UK institutions are encouraged to have clear entry requirements to make students decision making easier, and avoiding issues such as not having studied the right courses to apply for certain subjects at university. 

To discuss the implications to this change and how the British Council can help you engage with local schools, please contact Tiu Kian Wee (kianwee.tiu@britishcouncil.org.my)