Ensuring Acceptability and Feasibility: The Challenges of Educational Policy Reform in Malaysia

Bush, Tony; Ng, Ashley Yoon Mooi; Too, Wei Keong; Glover, Derek; Chay, Josephine

Abstract

This article reports research on the implementation of the Malaysia Education Blueprint, 2013–2025, drawing on 49 extended interviews with senior policy makers at federal, state and district levels, and school principals, informed by a systematic review of international and Malaysian literature. The findings show that the reforms are poorly understood by officials and school leaders, leading to partial and unenthusiastic enactment. The paper concludes that such ambitious reforms need to be acceptable, to ensure “ownership” of the reform agenda, and feasible, to avoid disenchantment by officials, school leaders and teachers.

Citation

Bush, T., Ng, A. Y. M., Too, W. K., Glover, D., & Chay, J. (2023). Ensuring Acceptability and Feasibility: The Challenges of Educational Policy Reform in Malaysia. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 22(2), 314-329. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2021.1933063

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 11, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jun 10, 2021
• Publication Date: 2023
• Deposit Date: Dec 1, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 11, 2022
• Journal: Leadership and Policy in Schools
• Print ISSN: 1570-0763
• Electronic ISSN: 1744-5043
• Publisher: Informa UK Limited
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 22
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 314-329
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2021.1933063
• Keywords: Strategy and Management; Education
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/14316061
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15700763.2021.1933063
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Leadership and Policy in Schools on [date of publication], available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/15700763.2021.1933063.