The private-public dilemma Parents

Students

Angie Lee, 38, can afford to do her PhD is any private institution but she insisted on having it done in Universiti Malaya because of its prestige.

A good education, she feels, is so much more than just fancy auditoriums or Olympic-sized pools.

“Lecturers in public varsities are there because they’re passionate. They aren’t there because of big, fat pay cheques. In private institutions, money talks. It’s different with public universities – you either make the cut or you don’t.”

Cheaper fees is why Farah Anisa Mohd Ghazali chose to study at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

“Private institutions are so expensive. But when I speak to my private uni friends, it seems like their lecturers are more concerned about them and their studies. The lecturers talk and explain things to them and counsel them about their work,” she laments.

The 23-year-old second-year technology management student is concerned about the funding cuts and how they will affect her course.

“Education’s everything. Regardless of the cost, it’s a necessity. Students do a lot of research and can contribute to the country and its economy.”

Diana Teh, 22, a second-year chemistry student in Universiti Sains Malaysia is also worried about how the reduction in funding will affect her.

An active participant of clubs such as astronomy, music and foreign languages, she fears that the cuts may affect extra-curricular activities.

As it is, she and her friends have noticed that there are fewer buses to transfer students to and from their campus hostels to the various faculties. And soon there may be no more water dispensers.

“They have cut down on in-campus bus service es and we hear the contract for waterw dispensers has been term minated. So we have to buy y our own mineral water. I’ m not sure if these chang ges are directly linked to thet reduced funding thou ugh,” she says.

Naomi Perrira, 19, isi looking to study bio-sc cience at a private instit tute. She hopes to get a sch holarship or a fee discount based on her matricul lation results. She is also loo oking at applying for a Natio onal Higher Education Fun nd Corporation (PTPTN) loan.l

“Public varsities have a lot of requirements. Also, from what I see, results produced by private education students are better. The facilities they get are better too,” says Perrira, who just completed a matriculation programme at Sunway College.

Navinjeet Kaur, 18, says public varsities are as good as the private ones, but students in the latter have more exposure to what’s out there.

Looking to do a degree in software engineering, she thinks private varsities are more widely recognised if you want to study or work overseas in the future.

Lee Chow Foh, 52, started saving for his children’s education even before they were born because he believes it’ll be money well spent.

Private education gives them better exposure. The lecturers and their teaching methods are better so it is necessary to send my children there, the father-oftwo, shares.

“Education in public institutions is not up to mark,” he shrugs.

Kavita Sivanathan, 56, agrees. Lecturers aren’t proficient in English, and the way the courses are run is outdated, she thinks. This makes it difficult for public university graduates to get a job so most parents don’t mind spending a lot of money to invest in their children’s future, the mother-of-two notes.

Two of Zalinda Zainon’s six kids are private university graduates. The returns from private education are better, she claims.

“The way they respond to others is different. To get the best education, you have to pay a bit more.”