What is happening?

In many countries in the world, loans and various financial aid schemes are available to students seeking higher education. For example, in Australia, there is the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS), which provides government loans to support undergraduate students attending university, and the United States and the United Kingdom employ similar initiatives. These privileges, however, are not readily available for young people in South-East Asia. University attendance remains largely reserved for societal elites and is determined by wealth, familial status, ethnicity, and religion. Prevalent issues in the region include a lack of funding and investment, discriminatory admission practices, shortages of qualified professionals, geographical challenges, and quality and affordability.

While economic development has increased in the ASEAN region in recent decades and there has been a growth in enrolments in some countries, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam continue to experience very low enrolment ratios, according to the 2022 State of Higher Education in Southeast Asia report. Data from this report highlighted how these four countries had enrolment rates below 30%, and in some cases lower than 15%, while nations such as Singapore had rates as high as 93.1%. 

Countries with successful tertiary education systems and high enrolments also continue to face accessibility issues. Malaysia for example, retains a very strongly developed higher education system, due to the presence of International Branch Campuses, established in partnership with highly regarded foreign institutions. Despite this, Malaysians struggle to finance their education, and the education system has been described by a Chinese-Malaysian graduate as political, and one where “religion is put first, [and] scholarships [are] given on religion and ethnicity”.

Indonesia on the other hand is facing a quality crisis, as according to the World Bank, “only 16 percent of lecturers nationally hold a PhD”. In addition, graduates are struggling with employability, as the ‘rote learning’ system used in Indonesia prevents students from entering the workforce with critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills. The corporatisation of public universities in Malaysia, investment cuts in Thailand, and limited scholarships in the Philippines have also increased pressure on higher education institutions. This has led to further privatisation of institutions, and has consequently impacted tertiary education access for lower-income students. This has ultimately caused corruption and has exacerbated existing inequality issues, as the lack of government control over institutions facilitates “diploma mills”, “degree fabrication”, and poor-quality education due to misappropriation of funds. Problems of this nature exist in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia. 

Increased industry privatisation narrows the opportunity for lower- and middle-income students to attend university, as the privileged and wealthier students are better positioned to be granted entry to public universities and do not pay very high fees. Consequently, disadvantaged students are restricted in their options and are likely to pay higher fees for unregulated education at private universities operating as businesses rather than academic institutions.

What is in it for you?

For Southeast Asian readers, ongoing discussions about access to higher education highlight crucial opportunities for change and improvement. For students and families based in the ASEAN region, the option remains to seek and apply for funding and scholarship programs domestically and through foreign governments and institutions. These opportunities can alleviate the financial burden of attending university. For policymakers, understanding the general population's challenges can guide more equitable policies that prioritise access for minority groups, potentially fostering a more diverse and skilled workforce.

For educators and institutions, there’s a chance to engage in meaningful lobbying for reforms that can enhance the quality of education and thereby address employability skills. Specifically, advocacy for increased funding and scholarship programs that can lead to more affordable education options is needed. Countries can ultimately benefit from increased educational access, as it can lead to greater economic development and social stability. Lastly, for international stakeholders and institutions, further collaboration with Southeast Asian governments on educational initiatives could open up avenues for investment and partnership, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive higher education landscape in the region.

What happens next?

There are calls for additional lobbying of governments in the region to prioritise additional higher education funding and policy. Further implementation of ‘income-contingent’ student loans would allow students to pay off their university loans without facing extreme financial challenges. It may also provide another mechanism for low-income students to access quality education institutions.

Despite significant challenges in obtaining access to tertiary education, countries in the region are making attempts to rectify these issues. For instance, Malaysia has committed to closing gaps between “urban and rural, rich and poor, and male and female students”, as a part of their 2015-2025 Higher Education Blueprint, aiming to accomplish by offering more tertiary education places and working with industry groups to ensure the skills developed in education match what is needed by employers. Furthermore, Thailand is applying quotas to ensure the enrolment of ethnic minorities in both public and private institutions. 

There is additionally a focus by lobbyists on increasing scholarships in the region, giving attention to understanding of minority needs and striving to provide education access, and investment in online programs. Nonetheless, it is ultimately up to the governments in ASEAN to follow policy advice in order to reach the goals set by the UN 2030 Agenda and the Roadmap on the ASEAN Higher Education Space 2025, which are mostly focused on ensuring affordable and equitable access to tertiary education globally and in the ASEAN bloc.

The Polis Team in Melbourne, in collaboration with the Young Diplomats Society in Melbourne