PETALING JAYA: Limited access to high-quality early childhood education and unprepared teachers have contributed to poor educational outcomes in the country, revealed the World Bank 2024 report, released on April 25.
“Despite spending 12.5 years in school, Malaysian pupils acquire knowledge equivalent to only 8.9 years.”
The report, titled Bending Bamboo Shoots: Strengthening Foundation Skills, disclosed 42% of Malaysian pupils failed to attain reading proficiency by the end of Standard 5, compared with the 34% recorded in other countries with similar gross national income per capita.
“By the age of 15, Malaysian children lag significantly behind their peers in Hong Kong, China, Japan and Singapore in reading, science and mathematics.”
Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE) chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said the report is not surprising as PAGE has observed similar trends in the past.
“It is crucial to ensure every child can read, write and count before entering primary school.
“Once preschoolers master the fundamental skills, they will transition into independent learners, who need less supervision, and flourish by pursuing interests they discover on their own.”
She said expanding access to preschool remains particularly challenging in rural areas, adding that there is an urgent need to increase the number of preschools in rural areas to ensure every child receives early education.
“The government, especially the Education Ministry, needs to realize parents are major stakeholders as stated in the Education Act 1996.
“If the ministry aims to improve international assessments of Malaysian education, it should engage with parents rather than dictating to them.
“Parents also want to see better results and they should be actively involved in the education process.”
On unprepared teachers, Noor Azimah said school leaders should shoulder the responsibility of ensuring teachers are adequately trained and able to effectively fulfill their roles.
“Likewise, school leaders must ensure teachers are well-prepared. Those who fail to uphold such expectations should face the consequences.”
Expressing concern over the report, former minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz called for urgent reforms to be made in the education sector.
Rafidah told the Sun that any failure to rectify the situation would result in the country falling behind in critical aspects, such as competitiveness and socio-economic development.
“To effectively address these challenges, it is imperative for the government to convene extensive deliberations involving education experts, teachers, practitioners and other key players in the field.”
Rafidah said the government should engage in intensive discussions to overhaul education policies, structure and systems, including curriculum content and teaching methods.
“Children today need to be equipped with the necessary training and skills to face increasingly complex economic and socioeconomic challenges.
“Training teachers and educators is important to ensure there are no gaps. Lessons should be in line with the present and future needs and demands of the economic sector.”
Rafidah said the education system in the country must be able to produce a skilled and capable workforce that meets market demands.
“By aligning education with industry demands and promoting lifelong learning, the country can ensure its workforce remains competitive and resilient.
“The government ought to organize brainstorming sessions and engage in dialogues with education experts and stakeholders to tackle the issues raised in the report.”
Tags: Weak factors Malaysian education highlighted
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