SOCIAL SCIENCES POSTGRADUATE INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR (SSPIS) 2014 ISBN 978-967-11473-1-3 298 LEARNING EFFICACY BETWEEN RELIGIOUS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY Siti Salwa Md. Sawari, Mohd Al’ Ikhsan B Ghazali, & Norwati Mansor. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. salwa.sawari@gmail.com Abstract Learning efficacy functions to increase the desire of learning through mediations of motivations and confidence This present study was designed to investigate two main objectives. First, it examines the level of learning efficacy among selected secondary students. Second, it explores whether there is a statistically significant difference in the level of learning efficacy between public and religious school students. A total of 242 students (121 from public and 121 from religious school) sampled from four school in Johor participated in the survey, employing a 12-item questionnaire measuring Learning Self-efficacy (LSE) and Peer Self-efficacy (PSE). The items were pilot-tested before being administered to the respondents. The data was analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests. The result showed that the majority of students experience a moderate level of self-efficacy. Generally, for the selected public school students the mean is 2.75 and religious school students the mean is 2.97. Regarding the comparison level of learning efficacy between the two types of students, the findings of the current study show that there are no significant differences, while peers self-efficacy revealed that there are no significant differences. Keywords: learning efficacy, public school, religious school. INTRODUCTION The Malaysian Education System offers a number of options for Malaysians to obtain a complete education so as to become holistic citizens. Due to the diversity of races, religions, and beliefs, the Malaysian Education System has become unique and different from other countries’ education system. According to the Pusat Maklumat Rakyat, Jabatan Penerangan (2013), there are many types of schools offered in Malaysia, including the National Type schools, Cluster schools, Vernacular schools, Mara Junior Science College or better known as Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM), Technical schools, Integrated Full Boarding schools or Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi (SBPI), as well as religious schools. Even though there are many types of schools in Malaysia, the National Curriculum is still being implemented as a standard guideline for all schools. Therefore, regardless the type of school the students are attending, they are required to sit for the national standardised examinations such as the Lower Secondary Assessments or Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) and the Malaysian Education Certificate or Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by Repository@USM