The HEAD Foundation supported Professor Tony Bush from the University of Nottingham on his research on the implementation of educational policy reform in Malaysia.
Educational reforms often target classroom teaching, and school leadership, as these aspects are central to enhancing school and student outcomes.
In 2013, the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 was launched by the Ministry of Education. The three main objectives of the blueprint were to: i) understand the current challenges of the Malaysian education system, ii) establish a clear vision and aspirations for individual students and the education system as a whole and iii) outline a comprehensive transformation programme for the system, including key changes within the Ministry.
However, as with every ambitious educational reform, challenges are aplenty. One main hindrance that Malaysia and many other Southeast Asia countries face in the implementation of educational reforms is the lack of instructional leadership to effectively see the educational reform through.
Professor Tony Bush from the University of Nottingham and his team (Dr. Ashley Ng Yoon Mooi, Dr. Wei Keong Too, and Josephine Chay at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, Dr. Derek Glover at the University of Nottingham, UK, and Dr. Lei Mee Thien, at Universiti Sains Malaysia) undertook a qualitative research study that examines linkages between different levels within the education system and its support of education policy reforms in Malaysia. The study includes an extensive literature review of international policy processes that aim to answer 13 key questions, documentary analysis, and key informant interviews and subsequent interview analysis.
Read more about his research in the Foundation’s Policy Brief No. 7.
Relevant Links
- Professor Tony Bush and his team organised a leadership conference to disseminate their findings on educational policy reform implementation in Malaysia.
- The Foundation also supported another research on reform – Prof Clive Dimmock investigates the development needs of school principals and teachers for Vietnamese school reform
