International Schools :

Guidelines on Establishment and Registration

Private Education Division

Ministry of Education
 International School

Introduction Guidelines Procedures

Guidelines on Establishment and Registration of International School

Introduction

Background on International Schools in Malaysia

Introduction

• Nine categories of private school register with

the Ministry of Education under the Education
Act 1996 [Act 550].

• International school is a private school that

use international curriculum with English as
the medium of instruction of the curriculum.
Introduction

• General guideline for establishment of

international school has been approved by the
Registrar General to stringent the establishment
of international school as been suggested by
Ministry of Education.

• The guideline has been enforced since June

2012.
Introduction

• After 5 years, the guidelines has been revised to

meet the changes in the industry.

• The revised guidelines was approved by the

Registrar General in October 2017.

• The revised guidelines has been enforced since

January 2018.
Introduction
Source : Basic Data on Private Education 2017, PEI

2017 quick facts on

3
International Schools
9
2
132 schools
2
54,654 students 1 4
17,436 foreign students
6
44
21
5
6
2 8

4
15
Guidelines

Revised Guidelines of Establishment of International School

 • A company that is locally incorporated in Malaysia and
Ownership registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM)

- Type of Ownership
• Company activities in accordance to education must be clearly
- Paid-up capital stated in the Memorandum and Articles (M&A)
- Board of Directors
• Minimum paid-up capital of RM1 million.

• Applicant is required to produce the official CCM document

that clearly states the total paid up capital of the Company

• Under autonomous trade liberalization for the education

services sector, foreign equity is allowed up to 100 percent as
of 31 March 2012.

• In terms of membership of the Board of Directors, it is

compulsory to have at least one (1) Malaysian citizen as a
member.
 • Self-owned or leased.
Land Area & Premises
• It is a requirement for each international school to have these
- Ownership
following built-up premises:
- Type of building
– Primary School: 30,000 square feet
- Built-up area
– Secondary School : 25,000 square feet
- Number of classrooms
– Primary and Secondary : 50,000 square feet

• Minimum number of classrooms:

– Primary School : 20 classrooms
– Secondary School : 15 classrooms
– Primary and Secondary : 35 classrooms

• Utilization of location/land/premise is subjected to approval by

the Local Authorities.
 • The surrounding area should be conducive to conduct
Land Area & Premises educational activities.
- Students ratio
- Special rooms • The ratio of a classroom to a student must be 1 : 25

• Special rooms such as science labs, music rooms, art

rooms, Muslim prayer rooms or surau, etc. must be
allocated/available in accordance to the curriculum
requirement

• Game courts or field for recreational and games purposes

must be allocated in accordance to the curriculum
requirement.
 • The name of an international school shall be in accordance
Name of the school with the following provisions:

– For Primary School Only: International Primary School

– For Secondary School Only: International Secondary

School

– For both Primary and Secondary: International School

• Usage of “Special Names” in naming an international school

must include the permission from the concerned party.
 • Using the foreign curriculum where the medium of instruction
Curriculum is English; and is approved or subjected to conditions set by the
Registrar General.

• Approved Curriculums are as follow:

– British Curriculum
– American Curriculum
– Australian Curriculum
– Canadian Curriculum
– International Baccalaureate (IB)

• A supporting letter from the Cambridge International

Examination Board (CIE) is required to be produced if using the
British Curriculum

• If there are five (5) or more Muslim students studying in the

international school at any time, the school is obliged to teach
the Islamic Education for at least two hours a week and this
subject must be included in the official time table.

Board of Governance
- Member of Board of Governance
- Instruments of Governance
• The BOG must comprise of at least five (5) members or any odd
number including one (1) Chairperson.
• One member of the BOG MUST be a Malaysian citizen.
• The principal will automatically act as the Secretary.
• The members of the BOG are not allowed to teach and must
refrain from carrying out any teaching duties.
• All members must be free from all court action.
• BOG’s must possess a manager’s permit (Permit Pengelola).
• All international schools must have the Instrument of
Governance approved by the Registrar General.
• Any amendments to the Instrument of Governance which has
been approved earlier must be submitted to the Registrar
General for approval purposes.

Students
- Intake of International students
- Intake of Malaysian students
The intake of International students:
• The international school must obtain approval from
the Ministry of Internal Affairs (KDN) accompanied
with the supporting letter from the Ministry of
Education prior to the recruitment of international
students.
• The international students studying in any
international school must be in possession of a valid
pass either a dependent pass or student pass from
the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

Students
- Intake of International students
- Intake of Malaysian students
The intake of Malaysian students:
• Subject to the Surat Pekeliling Ikhtisas KPM Bilangan
1/2012: The Implementation of Malaysian Student
Intake to International Schools with effect of 1 July
2012 which has abolished the Malaysian Student Intake
quota to International Schools.
• It is compulsory for the international school to
implement the teaching and learning of the following
subjects for Malaysian students which must be
included in the official time table:
– Bahasa Melayu
– Islamic Education / Moral Education
– Malaysian History
Headmaster / Headmistress / • The international school must appoint a Headmaster /
Principal Headmistress / Principal who will be fully responsible of the
management of curriculum administration.

• The Headmaster / Headmistress / Principal must hold

professional qualification as well as have experience in matters
of education administration.

• Must be in good health and gone through a medical check-up

certified by a Malaysian medical practitioner.

• Must have a valid teaching permit.

• The Headmaster / Headmistress / Principal must at all times be

present at the school to manage the administration of the
school. An appointed Head is not allowed to serve as principal
in more than one school, at any one time.
 • International Schools are encouraged to hire Malaysians with
academic qualifications relevant to the curriculum.
Teachers
• An international school which wishes to hire a non-Malaysian
citizen as a teacher must ensure that:

– They must possess a minimum of a Degree in academic

qualification.
– They have professional qualification in the field of
education.

• They must be in good health and gone through a medical

check-up certified by a Malaysian medical practitioner.

• The international school must submit an application letter

supporting the employment of a non-citizen to the Ministry of
Education. This is for the purpose of obtaining a teaching pass
from the Immigration Department.

• All teachers MUST possess a valid teaching permit.

 • All fee and other Miscellaneous Payments imposed by the
Fee and other payment international school must obtain prior approval from the
Registrar General.

• The fee structure/break down must be coordinated with these

following categories:
– Admission Fee
– Registration Fee
– Deposit (Refundable) : Must not exceed RM5,000.00
– Tuition Fee (Yearly Basis)

• The international school has the authority to fix the terms and
conditions for deposit refund which must be approved by the
Registrar General.

• Any increment in fee must first get the approval of the

Registrar General. The fee revision can only be done after three
years of the last fee approval. An increase not exceeding 30
percent is allowed.
Procedures

Procedures to establish and register an international school

APPLICATION
> Application using FORM BPS I
> Can be download at www.moe.gov.my
> Application must be address to
> Director
Private Education Division, Ministry of Education (MOE)
Level 3, Block E2, Complex E, 62604 Putrajaya
> Application must be sent to Registry Unit, MOE, Level 5,
Block E8, Putrajaya
SUBMISSION
> Completed Form BPS 1
> A copy of Applicant’s Identity Card / Passport
> A copy of CCM Registration Certificate and related document on paid-up capital
and shareholders.
> CV, copy of Identity Card / Passport for Board of Governance
> CV, copy of Identity Card / Passport and Academic Qualification for Principal
> Draft of Instrument of Governance
> Map of Location and floor plan of the building
> Market research on the proposed schools feasibility
> Letter of “no objection” from local authority on location / building
 PRESENTATION
> Upon receiving the completed application, the desk officer will start to process
the application.

> If the application did not meet all the requirement, it will be rejected.

> If the application fulfil all the requirement set in the guideline, the applicant will
be call for a presentation of the application to a panel in MOE.

> After the presentation, the applicant will be given a period of time to response to
any suggestion or remark made by the panel.
APPROVAL
> Approved application for the establishment of an international school will be
handed subject to the conditions set.
> The approval letter for the establishment is valid for 2 (two) years.
> Any extension to the establishment approval is subject to the decision of the
Registrar General.
> The applicant is required to submit the school development status report to the
MOE every six (6) months.
> Any change of ownership or change in premise/ location in this granted approval
is strictly NOT allowed within this period.
> The Registrar General has the authority to cancel the establishment approval at
any time if there are elements of breach of conditions.
 REGISTRATION
> The institution can only be registered after it has obtained the Certificate of
Fitness or Certificate of Complete Compliance (CF/CCC), or the approval to
occupy the building (OP). The institution must obtain support from the following
three (3) agencies, namely the Local Authority/Council, Department of Fire and
Rescue and Health Department for the completed premise or building.

> The applicant is required to inform the Ministry of Education the premise status
for the purpose of registration approval.

> The applicant must informed of any changes of information in the establishment
letter to MOE before the registration application is approved.
 REGISTRATION
> The applicant must submit the registration application to the relevant State
Education Department within 30 days from the date the registration approval
was granted.

> Application for registration must be submitted to the relevant State Education
Department using the gazette form in Education Act 1996. Document to be
submitted with the application :
> The approval for establishment
> Approved floor plan
> Copy of Identity Card / Passport for the applicant, BOG and principal

> Fee for the application of registration : RM300

 Contact

?
Mohd Suffian bin Mahmud
Private Education Division
Ministry of Education
03-8884 9578
suffian.mahmud@moe.gov.my

https://www.moe.gov.my/index.php/en/sumber/muat-turun/garis-panduan/category/bpswasta