School Guide

Difference between Government Schools and Private Schools

Published by SchoolAdvisor | Mar 01, 2017

The debate between the comparison of private and government educational institutes will go on till eternity. Both have their own significance in their respective fields. Both types of institutes have much to nurture and reproduce the future champions of Malaysia. Many feel that private schools are better than government schools, is that true?

The main difference between government school and private school stems from their funding and administration. As the names imply, government schools are administered and funded by the local, state or national government whereas private schools are funded wholly or partly by student tuition and administered by a private body.

Private schools are independent to a large extent from the interference of the government. Based on these two major differences, other significant differences can be noticed between government schools and private schools.

What are government schools?

Government schools are primary or secondary schools mandated for or offered to all children with minimal charge. These schools are funded and controlled by the local, state or national government.

Since they are supported by the government, they are wholly or partly funded by taxation and the curriculum is decided at a state or national level; all government schools follow the same curriculum.

Admissions and testing are also managed by the government. Admission to government school is determined by the address of the student. The schools are obliged to take in the students who belong to their respective geographical zone.

Although technology and other facilities vary according to schools, government schools generally have fewer facilities than private schools. Government schools also have a greater number of students than private schools — the number of students in a class may also be drastically high due to lack of facilities.

However, it is important to note that government schools always hire highly qualified teachers. The teachers must meet all state-mandated requirements and be proficient in their subject to work in a government school.

What are private schools?

A private school is not funded nor administered by the government. They are controlled by a private body and funded partially or wholly by students’ tuition. The fees are usually higher in private schools.

At the same time, private schools usually have better infrastructure facilities and up-to-date technology when compared to government schools.

Private schools follow the same curriculum as decided by the government while the method of delivery is decided by the school board. The school administrator will also decide the fees and requirements for admission. They have the authority to decide whether a student meets the requirements for admission or not.

This applies to the recruitment of teachers as well. In this case, a teacher in a private school may not be qualified as a teacher in a government school. The class size of a classroom is smaller than that of a government school. This is mainly due to the availability of resources and facilities.

An overview of difference between Government Schools and Private Schools

Find out how to enroll in public, private and international schools:

Applying to International and Private Schools

See also:

5 Reasons to Choose Private Schools

Questions to Ask When Considering a Private School

Dual Language Programme in National Schools 

Understanding the Types of Curriculum

15 Private Schools in Selangor & Kuala Lumpur

Tuition fees for Private Schools in Klang Valley