Kuala lumpur: The performance of Malaysian students in the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) regional assessment has remained stable with both the Reading and Mathematics domains recording scores above the regional average, despite recording a slight decline compared to the first round of assessments. Education director-general Dr. Mohd Azam Ahmad highlighted the significance of these results while presenting the SEA-PLM 2024 findings.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysia's scores in the Reading domain remained above the regional average of 300 points, with only a minor decline of five points from the 2019 SEA-PLM assessment. A similar situation was noted in the Mathematics domain, where the country's score also exceeded the regional average of 305 points, despite a slight decrease of five points.
Dr. Mohd Azam emphasized that Malaysian students continue to demonstrate competitive reading literacy levels and maintain a strong numeracy foundation, despite facing learning disruptions. He attributed the challenges in learning recovery to the Movement Control Order (MCO) from 2020 to 2021, during which students underwent home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) for nearly two years.
The SEA-PLM, conducted in multiple languages including Malay, English, Chinese, and Tamil, is a regional assessment organized by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation with the United Nations Children's Fund. The 2024 assessment involved 4,379 students from 158 Year 5 classes across seven ASEAN countries, including Timor-Leste, focusing on Reading and Mathematics domains.
Reviewing proficiency levels, Dr. Mohd Azam noted that 69 percent of students achieved Band 5 or above in Reading, with even a third of students from low Socioeconomic Status (SES) families reaching this level. In Mathematics, 74 percent of students attained Band 5 or above, indicating an encouraging trend in numeracy proficiency.
The Ministry of Education's initiatives, such as teacher capacity development and special remedial programs, have contributed positively to these outcomes. Gender-based performance showed that while female students outperformed males in Reading, the gap narrowed from nine points in 2019 to seven in 2024. In Mathematics, the gender gap disappeared, with male students achieving higher percentages in Bands 8 and 9 compared to female students.
Dr. Mohd Azam acknowledged the ongoing challenges posed by socio-economic disparities, with significant differences in performance between students from low- and high-income families, noting a gap of 23 points in Reading and 26 points in Mathematics.