After the latest global PISA scores revealed that Malaysia had the biggest drop in the region, attention has turned to the quality of the country’s education system. The scores, which focus on reading, mathematics, and science, indicate a regression that has raised significant concerns about the impact on human capital and research development. These areas are crucial for economic growth, innovation, and creativity.
Malaysia’s education quality has regressed for a number of reasons. Politics has had a significant negative impact, with too much focus on irrelevant issues and numerous leadership changes, each with its own agenda. This has led to consecutive flip-flops and inconsistencies, such as changes related to the primary language used in schools.
One specific example of inconsistency was the use of English to teach math and science, which was suggested by then Prime Minister (now Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2003, but later reversed by Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in 2009. Observers say this was a political tactic to gain rural Malay votes, and similar changes have continued in the years since.
Changes in the academic calendar have also been criticized for causing disruptions to the teaching and learning process. Despite efforts like the Dual Language Programme (DLP) to teach math and science in English, concerns remain about English proficiency among both students and teachers.
Malaysia’s ranking as the third-highest in English proficiency across Asia, according to the Education First English Proficiency Index, does not reflect the true picture, especially among the country’s young people. Many employers say that generally, local graduates are not proficient enough in English to compete globally.
Recent changes have also impacted student quality, with the pandemic being partially blamed for these disruptions. Critics say that more thought should have been put into the process and emphasize the need to recruit top-quality educators, similar to countries with successful education systems like Finland and Singapore.
While there have been some positive achievements, such as the Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013-2025), there are concerns about whether the targets set in the blueprint have been achieved. Calls for less political interference and a focus on teacher quality, curriculum, and language programs are growing louder.
It is clear that the responsibility for ensuring a good education falls on the national education system, and it is crucial to address the issues of inequalities between city and rural schools, the digital divide, and language abilities. The priority must be the students, who will form the bulk of human capital in the future.
