Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
Malaysia’s performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 showed a strong educational foundation, particularly in science, reading, and computational problem-solving, with teacher support also standing out as a key strength.
PISA 2025 was conducted from 22 April to 30 May last year and involved 7,624 students, aged 15 years old, across 157 schools and educational institutions nationwide.
Among the 91 participating countries, Malaysian students demonstrated notable gains in both Science and Reading. Compared to PISA 2022, science literacy climbed three points to 419, and reading literacy rose five points to 393.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek said PISA 2025 offered encouraging developments, noting that Science and Reading literacy scores rose although the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average fell.
Malaysian students scored 484 in Computational Problem Solving, below the OECD baseline of 500. This reflects their capacity to break complex problems into manageable parts, spot patterns, pinpoint relevant information, and map out clear steps toward a solution.
PISA 2025 found that Malaysian students are highly curious and resilient, and showed an increasing ability to manage their own learning.
Drop in Mathematics performance
Mathematics, however, told a different story, with the average score falling 11 points to 397.
Fadhlina said the ministry could not treat the decline as a one-off fluctuation.
She said knowledge alone is in sufficient and that it’s important that students can apply what they learn to new situations.
To address the decline, Fadhlina said the Ministry of Education had initiated the Mathematics Education Transformation Plan (RTPM), which places strong emphasis on building conceptual understanding, sharpening reasoning skills, and strengthening problem-solving ability.
We do not want Mathematics to become a race to find answers. We want it to train children to navigate their way to the answer.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek
Parents and teachers play a role in student success
Separately, 5% of Malaysian students reported encountering cyberbullying. It’s a figure worth attention, since victims of cyberbullying tend to show lower academic achievement.
Students also reported receiving less family support for their education. Only 34% said they discussed school issues with their parents weekly, down from 46% in 2022. Only 51% said they talked to their parents about school activities once a week, compared to 57% in 2022.
Fadhlina urged parents to take a more active role in supporting their children’s learning.
Fadhlina also credited teachers, saying their support had been a key factor in student performance. PISA highlighted positive student-teacher dynamics, noting that Malaysian students benefit from strong teacher support.
Here’s how students felt about the support they received from teachers:
- 91% said teachers helped their learning.
- 87% said teachers taught until they understood.
- 86% said they received extra help when needed.
- 83% said they were given opportunities to voice their opinions.
- 80% said teachers showed interest in their learning.
Educational Policy Planning and Research Division director Datin Rosliza Rosli said future education strategies need to draw in the wider community through a “whole-nation approach,” with parents and other stakeholders joining forces to support schools and students.
READ MORE: Unknown User’s Suggestion To Boycott English, Science & Maths Criticised By Army Veterans
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, X, Instagram, or Threads.
