The Cost of Schooling: Does it Matter? (81 - 93)

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to identify what schooling costs are borne by parents, to assess the extent to which these costs place a financial burden on parents, and to examine the impact of schooling expenditure on student performance. In addition, the study was to explore the differences in the costs of schooling between rural and urban children in Malaysian secondary schools. A sample survey with a cross-sectional design was carried out in 2005 to cover 1, 742 Form Four students from 25 secondary national schools in four states of Peninsular Malaysia. The results from detailed analysis were categorized into four main observations: (1) the breakdown of schooling expenditure; (2) schooling expenditure as a percentage of income, (3) parental perception on the burden of schooling, and (4) the impact of schooling expenditure on student performance. The evidence underscores the importance of schooling expenditure and the spreading the availability of schooling facilitates to all. Providing sufficient financial assistance such as subsidies and scholarships for poor students should continue to be very high on policy agenda.