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Home > JOURNAL > Vol. 4 (2015) > Number 2

 

Abstract

Chinese Independent High Schools (CIHS) in Malaysia are private secondary schools set up by the Chinese community and use Mandarin as the medium of instruction. The operation of these schools as non-profit institutions faces many challenges especially in terms of funding as they do not receive regular financial assistance from the government. It is notable that they are not only able to sustain themselves until now but have been able to accommodate the increasing demands for admission. This is despite the fact that, unlike national schools which provide free education, they charge substantial tuition fees. In 2014, the 60 CIHS in Malaysia have a total enrolment of approximately 80,000. As new schools cannot be established without official permission, Chinese schools have to turn away thousands of potential students each year for lack of classrooms.
Few studies have been conducted on student perceptions and decisions to enroll in CIHS. This study will examine this issue from the perspective of a sample of 200 students in the Confucian Private Secondary School in Kuala Lumpur. Conducted in 2013, the sample was drawn from selected classes and the findings showed that the perceived good quality education, cultural and language factors, and attractive prospects of Chinese school graduates were the major reasons that swayed the decisions of students and their parents to enroll in this school.

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