HALF of Malaysians reported discrimination in education, based on a survey conducted by the Sekolah Semua movement run by the non-profit initiative Architects of Diversity (AOD).

Of the respondents, the largest group (36%) reported verbal discrimination, followed by harassment or bullying (21%), and some were denied access to opportunities because of their identities (18%). 

More people between the ages of 18 and 30 (59%) reported experiences of perceived discrimination in education compared to older Malaysians.

The poll also found that Indian respondents reported the highest rate of verbal discrimination (54%) and being denied access to opportunities because of their identity (40%). 

The results were compiled from a national discrimination in education survey carried from September 1 to 10, covering 2,441 respondents and aimed at exploring experiences of perceived discrimination during their time in Malaysian schools.

AOD said it decided to embark on the survey after receiving widespread anecdotal evidence of discrimination, yet it could not obtain any systematically collated data to estimate the extent of discrimination in the Malaysian education system.

“As respondents were 18 years old or more, the survey is retrospective in nature and results should be seen as a stepping stone to further research on discrimination in Malaysian education,” AOD Malaysia co-founder Jason Wee said.

The technical report and open data can be downloaded from www.sekolahsemua.my/en/report. 

Sekolah Semua also called on members of the public experiencing any form of discrimination in education to visit its website to report their cases. – September 16, 2021.