Digital divide in education during Covid-19 pandemic

This study aims to examine the impact of digital divide on student outcomes using primary data. We used a sample of 233 secondary school students in the rural area of Sabah, Malaysia, during the COVID-19 pandemic from October to November 2020, about six months into student mandatory online learning. A random sampling method was employed in data collection using online questionnaire. This study adopted the two-step least squares method. We specifically measured students’ outcomes based on their perspectives of online class effectiveness and student financial constraints to attend these classes. The findings proved the existence of digital divide among students in rural areas. Specifically, the students’ low level of online learning attendance produced positive and statistically significant effect on their perspective of the effectiveness of online learning. In addition, the availability of digital devices at home significantly influenced student decision to take part-time jobs in order to help them purchase these devices to enable them attend classes. The findings suggest that there exist digital access barriers among students in rural areas during the pandemic. The study implies that the government or policymakers need to effect strategic intervention such as digital endowment to ensure that the digitally disadvantaged students are not left behind their peers

Household education expenditure, school effects, and teacher absenteeism in Malaysia

This thesis consists of three independent topics that mainly contribute to the literature on the economics of education. It employs two different datasets, the Households Expenditure Survey (HES) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). It considers a few methodologies to address the topics. The first topic is a comprehensive study on gender gaps in household education expenditure. It shows tentative evidence of gender gaps in the allocation of household education expenditure. The school effects on student attainment by gender is the second topic. One finding worth noting is that larger classes are positively and significantly associated with high male students' attainment in particular. Two behaviour perspectives are discussed as well: the first is how students' absence from school affects teachers' behaviour, and the second is how teachers' behaviour might affect students' behaviour as well as school performance. As expected, we find that there is significant positive teacher-student behaviour linkage in Malaysian schools. This thesis initially contributes to the survey of the Jawatankuasa Kajian Dasar Pendidikan Negara (JKDPN) 2019 under the Malaysia Ministry of Education by providing recommendations to improve the Malaysian education system

Who gains from class size reduction? Another look at Malaysia’s “Lost Boys Phenomenon” in student achievement

In Malaysia, while the achievement gap between rural and urban schools is flattening over time, the gender achievement gap is widening. This study therefore re-examines the phenomenon of “Lost Boys” using data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS. Gender differences in disruptive behaviour and disciplinary challenges may widen boy-girl academic performance difference and, if so, differential exposure to crowded classrooms can play a role. Alongside other hypothesis, therefore, we specifically explore the gender differentiated effects of class sizes on student achievement. Methodologically, we employ the two-step least squares and quantile regression methods. Findings show that decrease in class size statistically does not have a positive effect on student scores in mathematics and science regardless of gender. If anything, there is evidence that only high-achieving female students particularly from urban schools and advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds may benefit from reduction in class size incentive. While improving the quality of current teachers and certain school infrastructure such as school buildings, lightning systems, and classrooms as well as granting teacher incentives appears to improve boys’ achievement scores, on the balance, it is unlikely that the boy-girl difference in maths and science test scores in Malaysia can be primarily explained by school level factors. We conclude by discussing alternative explanations related to our findings on class size as well as other cost-effective policy responses and non-school factors to tackling the “Lost Boys” phenomenon

ANALYSING YOUTHS’ PERCEPTIONS ON GREEN TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND AWARENESS ON ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION USING A TWO-STEP LEAST SQUARES METHOD

This study analysing the model of youths’ perceptions on green technology policy and their awareness level on environment protection. This study aims to address potential endogeneity in the model by introducing a few instruments in the two-step least squares model. A total of 300 Sabahan youths respondents had participated in this study. The finding of this study shows that there is an endogeneity issue in the baseline model with statistically significant post-estimation tests. After addressing the potential bias in the baseline model, this study finds that the positive effects between high youths’ perceptions on green technology policy efficacy and high awareness on environment protection become five times higher. It suggests for the government and policymakers to embark on youths involvement in spreading positive attitudes towards environmental protection as they are the future catalyst of Sabah particularly and Malaysia in genera

Analysing youths’ perceptions on green technology policy and awareness on environment protection using a two-step least squares method

This study analysing the model of youths’ perceptions on green technology policy and their awareness level on environment protection. This study aims to address potential endogeneity in the model by introducing a few instruments in the two-step least squares model. A total of 300 Sabahan youths respondents had participated in this study. The finding of this study shows that there is an endogeneity issue in the baseline model with statistically significant post-estimation tests. After addressing the potential bias in the baseline model, this study finds that the positive effects between high youths’ perceptions on green technology policy efficacy and high awareness on environment protection become five times higher. It suggests for the government and policymakers to embark on youths involvement in spreading positive attitudes towards environmental protection as they are the future catalyst of Sabah particularly and Malaysia in general

Krisis subprima dan kemeruapan harga saham mengikut sektor ekonomi di Bursa Malaysia

Kertas ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji kemeruapan harga saham mengikut sektor ekonomi di Bursa Malaysia di samping mengenal pasti saham di sektor ekonomi yang meruap secara berkelangsungan. Kaedah ekonometrik siri masa iaitu model ARCH dan GARCH telah digunakan untuk menentukan tahap kemeruapan harga saham dalam tiga tempoh iaitu sebelum, semasa dan selepas krisis subprima. Harga saham dalam sektor kewangan menunjukkan kemeruapan yang berkelangsungan bagi tempoh sebelum dan semasa krisis. Manakala, harga saham di sektor pengeluaran industri merupakan sektor yang paling stabil dalam tempoh semasa krisis. Dapatan model EGARCH pula menunjukkan bahawa hanya harga saham di sektor pembinaan yang meruap secara berpanjangan semasa krisis. Implikasi dasar daripada kajian ini menjelaskan pelabur berpotensi seharusnya memilih saham di sektor pengeluaran industri sebagai portfolio pelaburan mereka kerana mempunyai kemeruapan yang secara relatifnya lebih stabil berbanding dengan sektor yang lain. Strategi pelaburan yang mempelbagaikan portfolio pelaburan dapat mengurangkan elemen risiko dan menjana pulangan

Gender differences in household education expenditure: two-step hurdle model

This study examines the evidence on gender differences in household education expenditure. It also aims to handle the potential channel of bias in gender differences in expenditure. The sample of household education expenditure in Malaysia provided by the Department of Statistics Malaysia consists of a significant number of households, which is 47% of 8,332 households that do not report their education expenditure (missing). Thus, to prevent potential bias estimates in the household education expenditure model source from the missing data, this study employs the two-step Hurdle Model. The first step is to estimate whether households enrol their child into school or not, and the second step is to estimate how much expenses are spent on children's education conditional on households with children enrolled in school only. While there is no significant results using the standard Working-Leser model, the Hurdle model shows that there are significant differences in educational spending between sons and daughters in the younger age group (5-12 years). Specifically, households preferred to spend money on sons’ education about double of the daughters’ education expenditure. Researchers may wish to consider this method when handling significant missing data to prevent potential bias in estimation

Technology and student motivation in online Learning based on socioeconomic background

This study examines the effects of technology commonly used by students on student motivation in online learning in Mathematics and Science based on socioeconomic status. We used a sample of 360 secondary students in both urban and rural areas of Sabah, Malaysia. A random sampling method was employed in data collection. This study used the two-stage least squares approach. Analysis of the student motivation model revealed significant differences between students from urban and rural schools. Also, with the availability of technology, students from low social backgrounds are more likely to have low motivation in digital learning, with the effects become pronounced when the endogeneity problem is addressed using intergenerational household socio-economic background variables. Findings from this study perhaps may provide policymakers with insight into a better technology or ICT applications that can increase student motivation levels and ultimately engagement in digital learning in Mathematics and Science, especially in the current Covid-19 crisis. Also, it may provide guidelines to households to provide better technology for better educational outcomes of their children

Health literacy and hand hygiene practice: A factor analysis approach

The aim of this study is to identify the factors associated with health literacy and hand hygiene practice. This study also would like to examine the existence of gender differences for factors associated with health literacy and hand hygiene practice. Questionnaire was used to collect the data. Number of respondents for this study was 302. The methodology used in this study were analysis factor, normality test and non-parametric technique using Mann-Whitney test. The results showed five factors associated with health literacy and hand hygiene practice extracted using analysis factor. The Mann-Whitney test results showed there was no mean rank difference between male and female respondents of each factor associated with health literacy and hand hygiene practice