MALAYSIAN private schools are not inferior to those in Singapore despite the large number of students from Johor studying there.

Johor entrepreneur and cooperatives development, education and higher education committee chairman Datuk Maulizan Bujang said parents who sent their children to schools in Singapore did so because they could afford it .

He said parents in the higher income bracket usually preferred private schools because they wanted "a unique learning experience" for their children.

"It just so happens that Singapore is closer to Johor, so that is where they send their children.

"The issue of whether Singaporean schools are better than Malaysian schools does not arise," he said.

Maulizan was replying to a supplementary question by Datuk Dr Adham Baba (BN-Pasir Raja), who said 12,000 Malaysian students were currently studying in Singaporean schools.

"I cannot confirm that figure (12,000) but I doubt that it's that high.

"We recognise that there's a demand for international-standard education so we hope the investments in EduCity in Iskandar Malaysia will reduce the outflow of the ringgit," he said.

To another question by Ong Kow Meng (DAP-Senai), Maulizan said Malaysia had already been recognised internationally as having one of the best educational systems in the developing world.

"It would be fairer to compare Singapore's private schools with those in Kuala Lumpur; to compare the schools in Johor with Singaporean schools wouldn't be right.

"In the Malaysian context, our schools are the best for our children.

"This is because these schools teach Malaysian history and culture, thereby inculcating a sense of pride in our youths."