M'sian students scored advanced benchmark in Maths, Science in TIMSS 2019

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has improved with students scoring more than 700 points in Mathematics and Science for the first time in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019.

The Education Ministry said 25 paper TIMSS students and 65 eTIMSS students scored more than 700 points for Mathematics.

The highest individual score for paperTIMSS was 799 points while eTIMSS was 764.

The computer-based assessment eTIMMS was conducted with the paperTIMMS in the 2019 edition of the international benchmarking assessment by the International Association for the Evaluation of Education Achievement (IEA).

In a statement Tuesday (Dec 8), the ministry said 6% of students obtained the advanced benchmark in paperTIMSS for Mathematics and 4% in eTIMSS.

This is an increase of 3% for paperTIMSS and 1% for eTIMSS compared to TIMSS 2015, it added.

Overall, the ministry said, the average score for Mathematics increased eight points from 2015 to 473 for paperTIMMS, but four points lower for eTIMMS averaging 461 points.

A total of 13 paperTIMSS students and 23 eTIMSS students achieved a score of more than 700 points for Science with the highest individual score for paperTIMSS was 778 points while 747 points for eTIMSS.

“This is the highest individual score in Science since Malaysia’s participation in TIMSS in 1999," it said.

The average score for Science was 469, which is two points lower than in 2015, it added.

The ministry said that TIMSS 2019 classifies students into four levels of achievement - advanced (625 points), high (550), intermediate (475), and low (400).

It said a total of 9,637 Form Two students took part in the benchmarking exercise from Oct 16, 2018 to Nov 1, 2018.

“A total of 1,560 students were involved in paperTIMSS and 8,077 for eTIMSS,” it added.

“The TIMSS 2019 findings will be used as a guide to formulate strategies to improve various ministry programmes and initiatives by taking into account the students’ achievement at various levels, as well as teacher delivery methods and techniques in the classroom,” it said.