International education is not a side story. It is a services export that supports jobs in teaching, housing, retail, food, transport, and the wider ecosystem around schools and universities.
Recent reporting citing EMGS estimates a current international student population of around 150,000, with a sizeable annual economic impact.
Against that backdrop, the prime minister’s announcement this week is significant: all education streams in Malaysia, including international, religious, and UEC-linked schools, must ensure BM and Malaysian History are offered, so that Malaysian students, without exception, sit for SPM BM and History.
Some may frame this as a tension between “global education” and “national identity”. It does not have to be. In fact, done well, this policy can become Malaysia’s differentiator: a globally connected education hub with a clear national core.
The key is...