EDUCATION : MALAYSIA IS NOW READY TO BECOME REGIONAL HUB

NILAI (Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia), Aug 2 (Bernama) -- After years of
planning, Malaysia is now gearing up and ready to get into action to become a
world class knowledge-based economy, said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin
Yassin.

Even now, Malaysia had put itself as the 11th largest education exporting
country with approximately 90,000 international students from more than 100
countries studying in various international schools, colleges and universities.

"Now is the time to put words into action, to create a system which respects
the right of every person to quality learning," said Muhyiddin in his speech at
the groundbreaking ceremony of Epsom College, here Monday.

Also present at the ceremony were Negeri Sembilan state Chief Minister
Mohamad Hasan and Tony Fernandes, the owner of Air Asia and now
Chairman of the Board of Governors of Epsom College.

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said Malaysia was becoming an
increasingly popular destination for many international students from Asia,
Middle East and Africa.

"Ensuring that quality is maintained, all educational institutions in
Malaysia are closely monitored by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and
other legislations such as the Education Act 1996 and Private Higher Educational
Institution Act 1996," he said.

He said Malaysia had always viewed education as one of the vital steps
towards building a greater nation, a nation which was built upon the
fundamentals of well-nourished intellects, a strong sense of pride in culture
and tradition, a productive and progressive socio economic aspect.

As an indication of government commitment, the ruling party Barisan Nasional
(National Front - BN) allocated more than a fifth of the nation's budget
annually towards education and human development, he said.

"In the year 2009, an allocation of RM47.7 billion (US$14.90 billion) was
dedicated for the education sector. For 2010, we have allocated 22.7 percent
from the total government budget to the education sector," he said.

Under the leadership of the current prime minister, Malaysia had recognised
education as one of the 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) which would propel
the country into the rank of high income nations, he said.

"In this respect, we recognise that adequate educational infrastructure and
opportunities, appropriate investment, the right policies and avenues for
nurturing human capacity are central issues in realising the Malaysia dream of
becoming a fully developed nation," he said.

He said, situated at the gateway of Southeast Asia, Malaysia had long been
serving its role as a regional hub for education.

Meanwhile, Headmaster of Epsom College Stephen Borthwick said at a press
conference, the college would be built on a 50-acre site at Kuala Lumpur
Education City in Bandar Enstek.

"This is the first time, the college made an investment outside of its home
country," he said.

An estimated RM140 million (US$43.75 million) was being invested in this
project including the development of a RM110 million (US$34.37 million) campus
for the Epsom College in Malaysia, he said.

Scheduled to open in September 2012, the college aims to attract 1,050
students from all over Asia thus helping to meet the country's vision of
becoming a global education hub, he said.
-- BERNAMA