KUALA LUMPUR: The decision by the Higher Education Ministry to extend the moratorium on the setup of new private colleges and universities has received the support of private higher education institutions.
Taylor’s University Vice-Chancellor and president Professor Michael Driscoll said the decision was sensible as there was an excessive supply in the higher education sector.
“There are over 400 private colleges and over 100 private universities and university colleges in Malaysia.
“Under these circumstances, there is significant risk that some colleges and universities could fail financially, especially those which are too small to be sustainable, impacting the student makeup of those institutions seriously,” he told the New Straits Times.
The continuation of the moratorium, Driscoll said, would allow the country to remain on track to becoming a regional hub for education.
“This would encourage a level playing field within the local higher education industry to encourage competition based on quality and value,” he said, adding that it would also strengthen Malaysia’s attractiveness to international students.
Echoing this sentiment, Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and University deputy president Datuk Dr Parmjit Singh said that currently, the enrolment of local and international students in private universities and colleges have seen a downward trend.
“There is an excess capacity in the private universities and colleges at the moment, and we have registered a reduction of local and foreign students, (which is also experienced by) most universities,” he said.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh yesterday said that the moratorium on new colleges and universities would remain in a bid to strengthen the country’s tertiary education sector as well as keeping its progress on track.