[Questions12-13 were asked if the person had ever been to school.]

12. What was the highest level you completed?

[Questions 12-13 were asked of persons who had ever been to school.]

12. What was/is the highest level of schooling you completed/are currently attending?

13. What is the highest certificate you obtained?

Question 12
This question is to be asked of persons who had ever been to school, that is, both who are currently attending school and those who had completed schooling.

We are interested in only the highest level a person has completed, thus only one box is to be marked. If the person is not currently attending a school, you are to mark the level he/she had completed. If the person is currently going to school record the level he is currently attending, assuming that he would complete the level at the end of the year. If the person had left school during a year and did not complete that year, you are to mark the next level down, that is, the level which he did complete.

Persons who completed their schooling a long time ago or who were educated overseas may sometimes give an answer which you cannot fit into the boxes. The only solution is to ask them what they consider to be the present-day or Malaysian equivalent. Matriculation class is to be equated to the level 'Upper 6'.

The boxes presented in the question give the various levels (or Forms) in the current Bahasa Malaysia and English language streams. A table is attached which sets out the equivalent levels in other language streams and the pre-1954 English language equivalents. (See Form 14(a)/ 14(b)/14(c)).

Note that Vocational 1 in Sabah and Sarawak is equivalent to Form 4 (Vocational) in
Peninsular Malaysia. Vocational 2 and 3 in Sabah and Sarawak are equivalent to Form 5 (Vocational) in Peninsular Malaysia. For Sabah, Senior Middle III in the Chinese Medium school is to be equated to Form 5.

Question 13
You are to ask in this question the highest qualification a person has. Only the highest certificate which a person has received is to be marked.

There may be cases where the names of the certificates of respondents are not the same as given in the question. This may be because the examination was taken some time in the past or is an Overseas examination. As in Question 12 you are required to find out what the certificate is equivalent to in terms of the present-day Malaysian certificates. For example, a professional qualification may be equivalent to a degree. You are to ask the person what he considers to be the equivalent for his certificate.

The abbreviations shown stand for the following:

In the case of Sarawak, the Sarawak Local Junior Certificate is to be equated to S.R.P./L.C.E.

If a person has obtained a diploma after getting a degree (post-graduate diploma) you are to mark 'degree' and not diploma. Only if a person has a diploma without getting a degree is he to be marked under 'Diploma: Persons who obtained certificates higher than Bachelor degrees, e.g. Masters, PhD. etc. are to be marked in the box 'Degree'.

Mark 'None' if the person has not passed any of the examinations. This will include those who are too young to sit for such examinations.

[Questions C1-27 were asked of persons who live in their households on Census Days.]

[Questions C12-14 were asked of persons who had ever attended school.]

C13. What is the highest level of schooling completed/still attending?

Question C11-C14

Purpose
The purpose of these questions is to obtain information for each person including:

The level of education, that is, whether the person has ever been to school or not, and whether he/she is currently attending school or has completed schooling.
The highest level of schooling completed/still attending.
The highest certificate obtained.

Question C13

[Question C13 of the enumeration form is not presented here.]

How to ask the question

Ask this question as follows:
"What is ____ (member's name) highest level of schooling completed/still attending?"

How to record the answer
If the person is still schooling/attending, you are to write the level he is currently attending, assuming that he would complete his current level at the end of the year/academic year.

[p.130]

If the person has completed his schooling at the time of interview, you are to get the level he/she has completed.

If the person has left school during a certain year without completing that level fully, mark the nearest level which he has completed fully.

For persons who have completed their schooling in Malaysia a long time ago and there are differences with the present-day educational system, you are to refer to Code Card (Document 6) to get the equivalent levels.

For persons who were educated overseas, you are to get the total years of study and to give the equivalent levels in the present-day educational system, e.g., for persons who have studied overseas for 8 years, you are to mark the equivalent level of schooling which if Form 2 (Code 9).

Reminder:
Matriculation class is assumed to be equivalent to Form 6 Upper (Code 14).
Vocational 1 is Sabah and Sarawak is equivalent to Form 4 (Vocational) in Peninsular Malaysia (Code 15) whereas Vocational 2 and 3 in Sabah and Sarawak are equivalent to Form 5 (Vocational) in Peninsular Malaysia (Code 16).
College category (Code 17) includes polytechnics.

C16. What is the highest level of education attained/currently studying?

[C16 is asked of persons who did not choose "4" and "5" in C15.]

[] 1 Pre-school
[] 2 Primary school (Standard/Year 1 till 6)
[] 3 Lower secondary (Remove/Form 1 till 3)
[] 4 Upper secondary (Form 4 till 5, GCE O level)
[] 5 Vocational/Technical (Form 4 till 5)
[] 6 Trade and technical skills institution
[] 7 Post secondary (Form 6, GCE A level, Matriculation)
[] 8 Tertiary (Polytechnic/College/University)