KUALA LUMPUR: The latest World Bank report shows that Malaysia is still dealing with the impact of the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic where children’s education is concerned.
In a report titled Bending Bamboo Shoots: Strengthening Foundational Skills, it said that despite having achieved a net enrolment rate at the primary school level of close to 100% since 2013, many children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, continue to struggle with learning outcomes.
It also said many perform poorly compared to neighbouring countries with similar gross national income per capita.
“In comparison, Vietnam, which spends less on education than Malaysia, offers students 12.9 years of schooling for 10.7 years of learning.
“For Singapore, the average child spends 13.9 years in school and learns the equivalent of 12.8 years,” it added.
In response to the findings, lawyer Azira Aziz of Pelajar Bukan Pengantin – a loose coalition of NGOs and activists advocating the eradication of child marriage in Malaysia – said the country is still dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic’s impact on children.
“Middle- and higher-income families have the resources and time to sufficiently assist their children in catching up.
“It could be in the form of tuition classes or parents sitting down to go through the workbook with them,” she said.
For lower-income families where parents are working hard to make ends meet, Azira said “to be able to sit down with their kids is already considered a luxury”.
She pointed out that often these groups outsource childcare to public schools, which struggle with teachers managing 60 students in a class.
“I was told that 40 is already a lot. Apparently, in some areas, there are insufficient number of classrooms,” she said.
