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| MALAYSIA's performance in the 2024 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) assessment remains above the regional average, with a score of 314 for reading literacy and 310 for mathematics.
Despite a slight decline of five points compared with the first cycle in 2019, students continued to demonstrate competitive reading literacy levels and relatively strong foundational numeracy skills.
Malaysia is among seven Southeast Asian countries that participated in the regional assessment organised by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (Seameo) in collaboration with Unicef.
Education director-general Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad said the assessment involved a sample of 4,379 Year Five students from 158 primary schools nationwide and included headteachers, teachers and parents.
He said the 2024 SEA-PLM cohort comprised students born in 2013, who were in Year One and Year Two during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period between 2020 and 2021.
Education director-general Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad says the reduction in the gender gap was a positive development for pupils and aligned with the aspirations of the Malaysian Education Blueprint.
He added that learning disruptions during the early years of schooling were a major factor affecting the students' acquisition of basic skills and provided an important context for interpreting the SEA-PLM findings accurately.
"This cohort is unique as they underwent home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) for nearly two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year, the cohort is in Year Six and will enter Form One next year.
"The same cohort will also participate in other international assessments, namely the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2027 and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2029," he told a press conference on Malaysia's performance in the 2024 SEA-PLM last week.
TARGETED INTERVENTIONS AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Azam added that the ministry's next focus is to ensure all students achieve at least the minimum proficiency level by the time they complete their primary education.
Its two main priorities are increasing the percentage of high-performing students and reducing the percentage of pupils who lag in basic literacy skills.
"This focus has guided the ministry in designing more targeted interventions to ensure that students not only recover but also strengthen their skills to a higher level.
"In SEA-PLM, Band 5 represents the minimum proficiency level for foundational literacy, aligned with the benchmark under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), and pupils are expected to achieve Band 5 or above to meet this internationally recognised standard," he said.
He noted that 69 per cent of students achieved Band 5 and above in reading, while 74 per cent reached Band 5 and above in Mathematics, reflecting the positive impact of initiatives implemented by the ministry, state education departments, district education offices and schools.
GENDER GAP IN READING LITERACY
Azam said that while girls continued to outperform boys in reading overall, the gap narrowed from nine points in 2019 to seven points in 2024.
Further breakdowns of the findings showed that 20.2 per cent of boys were still in Bands 2 and 3, compared with 12.8 per cent of girls, indicating that boys required more targeted support.
"While reading literacy gaps remain, the mathematics domain shows that gender disparities have been closed. Boys also showed higher mastery in Bands 8 and 9, with 17.4 per cent achieving this level compared with 14.1 per cent of girls," he said.
He added that the reduction in the gender gap was a positive development for pupils and aligned with the aspirations of the Malaysian Education Blueprint.
"This shows that literacy recovery and intervention efforts in mathematics are becoming increasingly effective, particularly for boys, and that the focus on enabling girls to reach higher proficiency levels will continue to be strengthened," he said.
Azam added that ongoing literacy and numeracy initiatives, including the Primary School Literacy and Numeracy Programme (PLaN), Early Screening and Intervention Programme for Year One (IPA), Highly Immersive Programme (HIP), Remedial Instruction Programme and Special Remedial Programme, are aimed at reducing achievement gaps and strengthening students' mastery of foundational learning.
"Overall, the SEA-PLM 2024 findings highlight that Malaysia must not only raise average scores but also ensure every pupil, regardless of gender, location or socioeconomic background, receives fair and equitable access to foundational learning opportunities," he concluded. |
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