PETALING JAYA: Malaysia must strengthen students’ mathematical foundations from an early age and move away from rote learning to reverse the decline in Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) 2025 Mathematics literacy, academics say.
Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Ibrahim of UCSI University’s Tan Sri Omar Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy said many local students continue to struggle with fundamental concepts like fractions, creating a domino effect that hinders their mastery of advanced mathematics.
“The curriculum must emphasise building a strong conceptual framework during early primary years before advancing to complex topics,” Ahmad said, adding that the education system must move away from memorising procedures without conceptual comprehension.
“Reforms must encourage teaching methods that help students grasp the ‘why’ behind the ‘how’.”
National STEM Association President and Founder Emerita Prof Datuk Dr Noraini Idris similarly stressed the need to improve how core concepts are presented to learners.
“We must refine how concepts are introduced in textbooks so students can grasp topics such as quadratic equations more intuitively,” she said.
National Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general Fouzi Singon said the latest Pisa results should be seen not as a reflection of teacher performance but as a warning to identify learning gaps early.
“When these learning gaps at the primary level are not addressed early, teachers at the secondary level inherit students who may already have years of accumulated difficulties.”
Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE) chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim welcomed the slight reading improvement.
“Continuous monitoring and rigorous programme evaluations are essential to ensure these gains are sustained,” she said.
Announcing the results, Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek said that compared to PISA 2022, Malaysian students improved by three points in Science (419) and five points in Reading (393).
However, Mathematics scores dropped by 11 points to 397.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Malaysia’s Science ranking dropped by 10 spots, while Reading rose by two.
Fadhlina said targeted interventions are underway to address identified deficiencies, including the Malaysian Mathematics Education Transformation Plan 2026–2035.
