Fadhlina must resign over dive in Pisa scores - Bersama

 

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek must resign over the latest drop in Malaysian students’ performance in math, science, and reading in the 2025 edition of an international school assessment test, said a Bersama official.

Malaysia’s latest score in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) 2025, unveiled today, was the lowest since 2018, said Bersama policy spokesperson Sum Dek Joe.

The score for mathematics dropped from 440 in 2018 to 397 in 2025, reading from 415 (2018) to 393 (2025), and science from 438 (2018) to 419 (2025), Sum said in a statement.

The percentage of Malaysian students below Pisa’s Level Two basic mathematics proficiency had increased to 65 percent from 41 percent, he said.

“This means nearly two out of three 15-year-olds who had been assessed did not show a basic understanding of mathematics, such as how to use it in daily activities, including converting different foreign currencies,” he said.

Among Asean countries, Malaysia scored lower than Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, and Thailand. But Malaysian students outperformed their counterparts from Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines.  

Sum said that Thailand, which had scored lower than Malaysia in the three subjects in 2022’s Pisa, had now overtaken the nation.

“Our neighbours such as Thailand have shown progress, but Malaysia has not shown any meaningful improvement.”

He also criticised Fadhlina for using statistically insignificant scores to create a narrative that the nation’s school children did better than in the 2022 Pisa.

This is because, at first glance, the reading and science scores increased by five and three points respectively from 2022 to 2025. But the OECD, which conducts the Pisa, said that the 2025 scores “were almost the same” as 2022, Sum added.

“The difference in scores for the two subjects was not statistically significant, while the math score had declined significantly.”

Resign and review

The declines in Pisa scores come even as the Education Ministry’s budget had increased to RM66.2 billion in 2026 from RM55.2 billion the year before, Sum said.  

“The minister must clarify why the increased allocations are still not translating to better learning outcomes.”

Topmost among Sum’s three recommendations for the government is that Fadhlina resign from her post after helming it since 2022, the last time Pisa was conducted.  

Sum also called for the 2013-2025 Malaysian Education Development Plan to be reviewed by an independent panel made up of education researchers, experienced teachers, and experts in public finances.

“This panel must identify which policies have been effective, which have failed and why education targets have not been met.”

The panel should also craft a remedial plan so Malaysia can reach the average score threshold in Pisa 2030.

“The panel must table its findings to parliament in six months, which includes interim education targets, the implementing agencies and funding needs. The plan should also include annual performance assessments so that it can be monitored”. - Mkini