Chemical Education In Malaysia

In Malaysia, Chemical Education has been in the main stream of the national education system since the days of independence. Chemistry was first taught at the secondary level; but was extended to the primary level as part of "Man and his environment" when the New Primary School Curriculum (KBSR) was introduced in 1982. Chemical education is continued in the Integrated Secondary School Curriculum (KBSM) in the combined science curriculum for forms one to three, and as part of general science and additional science or chemistry for forms four and five. For the science students who continue to study into the sixth forms, chemistry is taught as a subject both in the Higher School Certificate (STPM) and the "A" levels.
Chemistry is taught in all local universities and colleges with a science faculty/department. It is a pre-requisite for students taking undergraduate programmes in a majority of science, engineering, medicine, pharmacology, food science and nutrition, materials science, environment and, other technical and professional programmes and courses. Post graduate programmes in various disciplines in Chemistry is also being conducted in all universities with a science programme. This paper discusses chemical education in Malaysia, both at the school and university levels. It also reports on the Chemist Act 1975 and its relation to the Institiut Kimia Malaysia. Finally it relates chemistry to the industrialisation and the changing ways of life in Malaysia.