SHAH ALAM, May 19 — For many Malaysians, the concept of ‘world schooling’, which involves learning through travel and real-world experiences, may still sound unfamiliar. Yet for a growing number of parents who can afford the lifestyle, it represents a meaningful alternative to conventional classroom education.
Instead of confining children to textbooks and four walls, world schooling immerses them in different cultures, environments and everyday realities, turning the world itself into a living classroom.
Parents who embrace the approach believe it nurtures independence, strengthens social skills through direct interaction with people from diverse backgrounds, and encourages children to think more creatively and critically.
Although it does not strictly follow a structured national syllabus, many world-schooling families adopt flexible curricula such as the Cambridge syllabus or international school programmes, tailoring lessons according to location and circumstances.
The world as a learning space
Among those embracing the lifestyle is 37-year-old Adilah Rosli, who together with her husband, Harris Arisyi Redzuan, is raising their four children through world schooling: Qaiser Mateen Harris Arisyi, nine; Alyssa Jasmine Harris Arisyi, six; Ezra Musa Harris Arisyi, four; and one-year-old Ihlara Rose Harris Arisyi.
Sharing her family’s experiences on social media platforms including Facebook, TikTok and Instagram under the name @dilarosli.co, Adilah said the idea first took root about a decade ago while she and her husband were pursuing their studies in the United Kingdom for four years until 2014.
However, it was only this year that the self-employed couple were finally able to turn the dream into reality.
“Before this, our eldest attended a private preschool and later formal education at an international school, while our second child also went to preschool for more than a year until February 2025,” she told Bernama.
Though still relatively new to the lifestyle, Adilah said she has already noticed significant changes in her children, particularly in their level of independence.
The family has travelled to destinations including Vietnam, Bali in Indonesia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Istanbul in Türkiye, Rome in Italy and Spain.
“In Vietnam, Bosnia and Italy, we combined formal learning through books and worksheets with informal learning through visits to museums, parks and historical sites,” she explained.
“In Istanbul, learning was entirely experience-based, where the children absorbed knowledge about history, culture and geography directly from their surroundings.”
Currently in Orgiva, Spain, Adilah said every journey becomes a learning opportunity. Before arriving at a destination, the children conduct their own research on attractions, food and basic facilities before presenting their findings to their parents.
Real-life experiences build life skills
Despite the absence of rigid classroom structures, Adilah said subjects such as Mathematics, Bahasa Malaysia and Islamic Studies are still taught contextually according to the environment.
She added that the family also maintains communication with teachers from their eldest child’s former school to ensure the children’s educational progress remains aligned with mainstream standards.
Beyond academics, world schooling also places strong emphasis on social development. Exposure to different cultures and languages, she said, has boosted her children’s confidence and communication skills.
“For example, mathematical skills are sharpened through daily situations such as calculating currency exchange rates, while communication improves when the children interact directly with local communities,” she said.
Although they have chosen an alternative path, Adilah said she remains open to the possibility of registering her children for public examinations such as the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) in the future.
Nurturing critical and creative thinkers
Meanwhile, Prof Dr Nurhizam Safie Mohd Satar from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Centre for Software Technology and Management Studies believes world schooling has the potential to produce more creative and critical-minded children.
According to him, exposure to new environments helps children develop problem-solving abilities, planning skills and cross-cultural communication.
“However, its effectiveness depends on balanced implementation because formal learning remains important, especially in ensuring systematic mastery of literacy and numeracy,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring children receive sufficient social interaction to avoid long-term gaps in peer relationships.
Part of an alternative education ecosystem
Echoing similar sentiments, Associate Professor Dr Fatin Aliana Mohd Radzi from Universiti Teknologi MARA’s Faculty of Education said world schooling should be viewed as part of Malaysia’s broader alternative education ecosystem.
She believes the approach could grow further if supported by clear policies, minimum curriculum guidelines and more flexible assessment systems.
However, she cautioned that world schooling requires substantial resources including finances, time and parental literacy, and could widen educational inequality if not managed carefully.
“If implemented comprehensively, this approach could inspire the national education system to expand experiential learning elements to benefit all levels of society,” she said. — Bernama