Prior to departing for Malaysia in July, #AgEd2Malaysia participants developed teams consisting of a pre-service and in-service Agricultural Science teacher to develop a pre-trip learning experience for their fellow participants. Each team determined a topic to research and method of presentation. This post will provide a summary of the content presented by Kristi Mensen (Hawkeye Community College, Iowa) and Darla Romberger (Cumberland Valley High School, Pennsylvania).
Malaysian Government, Agricultural Policy, and Agriculture Education
The objectives of this session were:
- Describe the system of government in Malaysia.
- Compare the priorities of Malaysian Agricultural Policy Pre- and Post-Independence
- Discuss the development of Technical & Vocational Education Training in secondary schools from 1957 to the present.
- Identify relevant agricultural organizations that support secondary Agriculture Education in Malaysia.
These objectives were created to inform the #AgEd2Malaysia team about the basic tenants and organization of the Malaysian government and how policies surrounding education and agriculture are developed and implemented.
Malaysian Government
The Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia) was formed in 1957 upon gaining independence from the United Kingdom. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with an elected monarch as the head of state. The official term for the Malaysian monarch is Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or “He who was made Lord.” The monarch is elected to a 5-year term by the rulers of the 9 Malay states (of 13) that have hereditary rulers. 
Aside from the monarch, there are 3 branches of government (legislative, judiciary, and executive) that function similarly to that of the United Kingdom. A Prime Minister is the head of the Executive Branch and is directly appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Individual states have their own respective legislative and executive authorities.
Malaysian Agricultural Policy
The involvement of British colonizers beginning in the early 1900s had a long-lasting impact on the Malaysian agricultural sector. Prior to 1957, all decisions regarding agricultural development were made to benefit British interests in exporting raw commodities, especially rubber, palm oil, and cocoa during WWI and WWII. This perpetuated the development of infrastructure in Malaysia while defining the racial identification of workers in respective commodities (Malay in subsistence paddy farms, Indian in commercial plantations, and Chinese in vegetable production).
Post-independence agricultural policies varied greatly due to Malaysia’s newfound position as a global leader in rubber and palm oil production. From 1957-1984, nearly 250,000 hectares of forests were cleared so palm and rubber trees could be planted. Although these actions created jobs, it created a further divide in small farms and large corporate plantations. From 1984-1992, agricultural policy made strides to eradicate poverty of small farmers and increase the value of agriculture products for exports. The 1990s and early 2000s continued to be a time of revelation for the Malaysian government as the agriculture sector’s GDP began to steadily decline and manufacturing soared. The current policy (developed in 2010) aims to diversify the agriculture sector to include agrotourism, aquaculture, small scale livestock, and forestry products in an effort to revitalize the agriculture sector and recruit new individuals into agriculture research & development.
Technical & Vocational Education Training (TVET) in Malaysia
When Malaysia gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1957, the education system was lacking any type of organization or consistency across the 13 Malay states. Early attempts in reorganizing the education system aimed to focus on providing 6 years of free education to all students, focusing on skill attainment necessary for economic development, and establishing teacher training colleges. It should be noted that agriculture was mentioned and considered in numerous reports when addressing technical education needs. (Note: TVET is the equivalent of Career & Technical Education in the United States.)
The most notable education reform impacted TVET occurred in 2011. Prior to this reform, TVET was implemented in 2 methods: (1) an elective course in secondary academic schools and (2) technical secondary schools. This is a similar method to what we are accustomed to in the United States.
The reform will bring the establishment of Vocational Colleges (VCs) by transforming the current technical secondary schools into these desired VCs for upper-secondary enrollment. The VCs will offer 2 tracks: (1) certificate programs at the upper secondary level and (2) diplomas at the secondary level. Additionally, TVET electives in academic secondary schools will be discontinued due to the limitations in providing “practical skills” to students who intend to enter the labor market after graduation.
Malaysian Agriculture Organizations
As agriculture educators and students in the United States, we are encouraged to become involved in numerous agricultural groups and organizations within our communities to develop an understanding of our local agricultural industry. Such groups include Farm Bureau, Grange, commodity groups, and breed associations. What are the key organizations that are providing support to Agriculture Education programs in Malaysia?
The #AgEd2Malaysia team compiled a directory of 10 relevant Malaysian Agriculture Organizations that can be viewed at the link below. Examples of groups include the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry (MOA), Farmers Organization Authority Malaysia (FOA), and the Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
Follow the #AgEd2Malaysia Team's live adventure on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram beginning July 6 and ending August 3, 2018
