1st Edition
Malaysian Indians and Education Reimagined Development Opportunities
This edited volume provides a comprehensive overview and discussion of the issues surrounding the Malaysian Indian community’s educational development. Malaysian Indian citizens who make up seven per cent of the population have their own set of strengths and weaknesses, while facing deep-seated socio-economic challenges. Education is seen as an enabler which could significantly facilitate social and economic upward mobility, as shown in policies and practices implemented under the New Economic Policy, many of which have unfortunately bypassed the Indian Community.
This book explores and assesses the various aspects of the education endeavour of Malaysian Indians, including primary, secondary, post-secondary and tertiary education. Related challenges include urban poverty, school dropouts, dysfunctional families and other socio-economic issues. It reconsiders educational equity policies and practices in place while proposing new initiatives which could support and chart a way forward for the development of Malaysian Indians. Importantly, the publication addresses the roles of the government, private sector and civil society to help elevate the educational achievements of the Indian Community.
The book will appeal to students and academics in the faculties of social science and comparative education, development economics and sociology, with a focus on access and equity in education. Proposals for change would be of interest to policy-makers and managers of educational and non-governmental organisations in plural societies.
1. Malaysian Indians and Education: Realities Revisited, Opportunities Reimagined
Hena Mukherjee and Rajendran Nagappan
2. Malaysian Indians: History, Contributions, Achievements, Problems and Challenges
K. S. Nathan
3. Tamil Primary Education in Malaysia: Current Status, Challenges and Prospects
Rajendran Nagappan
4. Secondary Education and the Future of Malaysian Indians
Santhiram Raman
5. Tertiary Education of Malaysian Indians: Challenges and Prospects
Saratha Sithamparam and Moses Samuel
6. Malaysian Indian Women’s Education and Their Marginalisation: An Intersectional Analysis
Nithiya Guna Saigaran and Shanthi Thambiah
7. Future-Proofing the Talent of Malaysia's Indian B40 Community for the New Economy: A Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Framework
Mahendhiran Nair, Santha Vaithilingam, Pervaiz Ahmed, Li-Ann Hwang, and Jason Wei Jian Ng
8. Education of Malaysian Indians: The Need for Government Intervention
Palaniappan Ramanathan Chettiar
9. Malaysian Indians and Education: Reimagined Development Opportunities
Rajendran Nagappan and Hena Mukherjee
Biography
Rajendran Nagappan (PhD – Michigan State University, MEd and BAHons (Malaya)) was formerly Professor of Pedagogy and Thinking Skills; Assistant Director of the Ministry of Education; Member of the Independent Review Panel of the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2013–2025); and the first Director General of the Unit for the Socio-Economic Development of Indian Community, Prime Minister’s Department. He is currently serving as an Adjunct Professor of Education.
Hena Mukherjee (EdD Harvard, MEd DipEd Malaya, BAHons Singapore) was formerly Lead Education Specialist of the South Asia Human Development Unit, World Bank; Chief Education Programme Officer of the Commonwealth Secretariat, London; and founding Head of the Department of Social Foundations, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya.
