THE EFFECT OF EDUCATIONAL AIMS ON THE PROVISION OF TEXTBOOKS IN MALAYSIA WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE ROLE OF THE TEXTBOOK DIVISION, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, MALAYSIA. by NORHAYATI HJ.ALIAS A Master's Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Master of Arts degree of the Loughborough University of Technology. September 1991 SUPERVISOR : W.P.MARETT BA Bristol, BA CNAA, MA Cambridge, BCom, BSc (Econ), PhD London, FRHistS Department of Library and Information Studies Loughborough University of Technology ~ by NORHAYATI HJ.ALIAS, 1991. DEDICATION Dedicated to my family with love. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge those people who have assisted, directly and indirectly, in the production of this dissertation. Firstly to my supervisor, I wish to express my profound gratitude, Dr.W.P.Marett for his interest, comments and helpful suggestions, guidance and encouragement throughout this work without which I could not have completed. My sincere gratitude to my parents, who with their enduring affections, have given me the moral and spiritual support which has seen me through. To my husband, without whose patience, understanding and encouragement the project would not have been completed. My special thanks to the staff of the Evaluation Unit and the General Administrative Unit, Textbook Division, Ministry of Education for supplying me with the statistics as required. Lastly, I am particularly indebted "to the Government of Malaysia for awarding me the scholarship and granting me the study leave to pursue this course. ii ABSTRACT The overriding objective of the National Education Policy in Malaysia is national unity.The main focus of the National Education Policy is towards consolidation of the educational system and curriculum improvement, involving providing high quality textbooks so as to increase the effectiveness of education for building up the national identity.The theme of this study is the relationship between educational aims and textbook provision in a Malaysian setting.The particular aspects of the concept relevant to this study concern ways in which educational aims can be controlled and planned as part of a gradually unfolding social process.In the production of textbooks, the demands on skilled manpower are great, the relationship between basic curricular and other educational decisions, the publishing enterprise and the distribution apparatus has to be taken into consideration. The various sections of this study will show what progress was made in the field of education as regards educational publishing, particularly in the production and the provision of textbooks to suit the national interest.Perhaps the most important aspects of the study are the nation's growing understanding of the needs of all children, the increasing concern for quality textbooks and the relevance to curriculum content and teaching methods, the determination to widen the horizons as well as providing more experience for the children.This dissertation is based on a study of the available original administrative documents and experience gained as an Evaluation Unit Officer at the Textbook Division, Ministry of Education, Malaysia, during 1988 - 1990. Translations from Bahasa Malaysia are by the author of this dissertation unless otherwise stated. iii CONTENTS Page Dedication i Acknowledgements ii Abstract iii Table Of Contents iv List of Illustrations ix List Of Appendices xii CHAPTER 1 : EDUCATION IN THE SOCIAL SYSTEM. 2 1.1 Textbooks as Educational 2 Provision. 1.2 A Textbook - What Is It? 3 1.3 The Role Of The Textbook in 3 Malaysia. 1.4 The Philosophy of the Malaysian 5 Textbook. CHAPTER 2 : MALAYSIA - ITS EDUCATIONAL 8 BACKGROUND 2.1 Social Economic Background 8 2.2 Education As Tool Of The 9 National State 2.3 Education And The Federal 10 Government 2.4 The People 11 2.5 The National Education Policy. 15 2.6 The Strategy Of The National 16 Education Policy CHAPTER 3 : THE BACKGROUND STUDY OF TEXTBOOK 19 PUBLISHING IN MALAYSIA. 3.1 A Single Subject Text 19 3.2 The Effort in Textbook Production 20 3.3 The Participation of the Federal 22 Government in Textbook Production. 3.4 Textbook For A National Purpose 24 3.5 The Role of the Publishing Sector 26 in Textbook Publishing. iv 3.6 Textbook Publishing in Malaysia - 29 The Historical Background. 3.6.1 Textbooks before Independence. 30 3.7 Book Production In Malaysia. 32 3.7.1 Print Run. 34 3.7.2 Textbook Publisher in 35 Malaysia. 3.7.3 Textbook Under Government 36 Textbook Loan Scheme. CHAPTER 4 : THE TEXTBOOK DIVISION, MINISTRY OF 39 EDUCATION, MALAYSIA. 4.1 The Textbook Bureau. 39 4.1.1 Roles and Objectives 40 4.1.2 Expanding Its Role 41 4.1.3 The Textbook Division - The Performance Measurement 42 4.1.4 The Staffing Structure of the 45 Textbook Division. 4.1.5 The Units in the Textbook 48 Division. CHAPTER 5 : THE PRODUCTION OF TEXTBOOKS. 52 5.1 Textbook Planning. 52 5.1.1 The Implementation of the 52 the New Curriculum. 5.1.2 Textbooks for the New 53 Primary School Curriculum. 5.1.3 Textbooks for the New 55 Secondary School Curriculum. 5.2 The System of Textbook Production 56 for the New Secondary School Curriculum. 5.2.1 Textbook Production 57 - The Guided System and Joint Programme between the Textbook Division and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. 5.2.2 Textbook Programme For The 64 Private Publishers by Proposals 5.2.3 Textbook Programme by the 76 'In - House' System. v 5.3 Textbook Production 79 - The Preparation of The Manuscripts 5.3.1 Organization Of The 80 Production of Textbooks 5.3.2 The Evaluation Process 82 5.3.3 The 'Collective And Guided' 83 Approach' 5.3.4 The Selection Of The Panel 85 Committee 5.3.5 The Workings Of The Panel 87 System 5.4 The Production Process 89 5.4.1 The Editing Process 89 5.4.2 Marking Of The Text 89 5.4.3 Corrections To Scripts 90 5.4.4 Rewriting 91 5.4.5 Preparing The Camera- Ready 91 Mechanical 5.5 How Important Are Good Manuscripts 93 For The Attainment Of The Educational Aims ? 5.5.1 Content Of The Textbook 93 5.5.2 Textbook For The Teachers 96 5.5.3 The Inculcation Of Positive 96 Values 5.5.4 The Technical Aspects 97 5.5.5 Specifications For Textbook 100 5.6 Reviewing Textbooks 106 5.7 Controlling The Cost Of Textbooks 107 5.8 Controlling The Increased Cost 112 Of Textbooks CHAPTER 6 : TEXTBOOK DISTRIBUTION. 117 6.1 The Textbook Loan Scheme 117 - Background For Its Implementation. 6.1.1 What Are Its Main Aims? 117 6.2 The Implementation of the Textbook 119 Loan Scheme vi 6.2.1 The Supply of Textbooks Under 119 the Government Textbook Loan Scheme 6.2.2 Pupils' Eligibility for the 120 Textbook Loan Scheme 6.2.3 The Number of Pupils Involved 122 in the Scheme 6.3 The Selection of Textbooks for the 123 Textbook Loan Scheme 6.3.1 Distribution of Textbooks to 123 the Primary Schools 6.3.2 Distribution of textbooks to 124 the Secondary Schools 6.3.3 Number of Pupils Eligible 126 for the Textbook Loan 6.4 The Utilization of the Textbooks 129 under the Textbook Loan Scheme 6.5 The Replacement of the Textbooks 131 under the Textbook Loan Scheme 6.6 The Programme of Subsidisation 132 6.7 Schools involved in the Textbook 132 Loan Scheme 6.7.1 The operation of the 133 Textbook Loan Scheme 6.7.2 The Administration of the 136 Textbook Loan Scheme at the School Level 6.7.3 Textbooks for all Pupils 136 6.8 The Relationship between Textbook 137 Division and the Other Sectors. 6.9 Activities of the Textbook Division 139 Process of Making Orders and Supplying of Books under the Textbook Loan Scheme 6.9.1 Role of the State Education 139 Department 6.9.2 Processing of the Application 140 Forms 6.9.3 Distribution of the Computer 141 Printouts 6.9.4 Redistribution Measures 141 6.9.5 Visiting the Schools 142 6.9.6 Conducting Seminars 143 vii 6.10 Distribution of Textbooks. 143 6.10.1 Timely Arrival of 143 Textbooks to the Schools 6.10.2 Printing Schedule 144 6.10.3 Topographical Difficulties 145 in Distribution. 6.10.4 Textbook as Consumable 146 Resource CHAPTER 7 : ISSUES AND CONSTRAINTS 148 7.1 The New Approach in Textbook 148 Writing 7.2 Curriculum Change 150 7.3 Interpretation of the 151 Curriculum 7:4 Exposure to the Curriculum 151 7.5 Multiple Responsibilities 152 7.6 Field Testing 153 7.7 Expertise 153 7.7.1 Textbook Writers 153 7.7.2 Panel of Evaluators 154 7.7.3 Editors 155 7.7.4 Illustrators and Designers 155 7.7.5 Manufacturing Technology 156 7.8 The Dilemma of the Textbook 156 Division Ministry of Education 7.8.1 The New Approach in the 156 Utilization of Textbooks 7.8.2 Encouraging Reading Habits 159 7.8.3 The Attainment of the 159 National Objectives 7.8.4 Planning and Adequate Funding 160 7.9 CONCLUSION 160 BIBLIOGRAPHY 163 APPENDICES viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE 1. Illustration 1 105 Page Layout of a Textbook 2. Illustration 2 105 Textbooks for the Subject of Sejarah KBSM ( History NSSC ), Form .1, 2 and 3. 3. Illustration 3 105 Anti - Drug Poster on the inside back cover of the textbook. TABLES 1. Malaysia : Estimated Population as per 13 Ethnic Group, 1985 - 1990. 2. Malaysia: Population - Age, Size 14 and Structure, 1980 - 1985. 3. Malaysia Number of Titles Published 32 in Malaysia, 1955 - 1969.