Introduction

This introduction chapter essentially describes the critical markers of the Malaysia's historical and educational development along with the progress directed at growth. In fact, it stands out as a framework to proffer the context and historical connectivity to all of the different educational policy discourses. The chapter begins from the time when Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak parted ways with the colonial rulers, and reaches out to the current period. It also presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book captures the whole of Malaysian historicity with regard to becoming an independent nation encompassing the eras of colonisation, Malaysianisation and globalisation. It examines the phenomenon of the integrative and instrumental roles of education in the Malaysian context, how they have been handled and what their outcomes have been. The book focuses on the overall trend of the education policy and how it was aligned with human capital transformation over the years.