Private education sector in dire straits Pix for illustration purposes/BERNAMA
PETALING JAYA
: The Covid-19 pandemic is threatening to close the book on private education.
Enrolment is plunging as students, both locals and foreigners, leave in droves, forcing some universities and colleges to throw in the towel, while others are barely staying afloat.
As a result, a large proportion of the private education sector’s RM40 billion annual contribution to the nation’s gross domestic product has been wiped out. For operators of private higher education institutions (PHEI), the situation is dire.
As of March this year, Malaysia had 435 PHEI, comprising 335 colleges, 39 university colleges, 51 universities and 10 branch campuses of foreign varsities.