06/12/2023 (Malaysia) - The 'learning loss' experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic contributed significantly to the performance of Malaysian students in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 report. Learning loss refers to the potential decline in literacy and numeracy skills when students are out of a formal classroom for extended periods.
In PISA 2022, Malaysia saw a decline in three key domains: reading, mathematics, and science. The average mathematics literacy score dropped by 31 points to 409 compared to PISA 2018. Scientific literacy decreased to 416 (PISA 2018: 438 points), and reading literacy fell by 27 points to 388 (PISA 2018: 415 points). These scores were lower than the OECD average in all three areas.
Malaysia's female students outperformed their male counterparts in all three domains of literacy in PISA 2022. Additionally, a student questionnaire revealed that 76.3% of Malaysian students missed school and physical activities when schools were closed, compared to 57% in OECD countries. Moreover, 72.9% of Malaysian students reported an improvement in their digital device skills for learning, surpassing the OECD's 63%.
The survey also showed that 44.1% of Malaysian students never had issues accessing digital devices, and 19.6% faced no problems accessing the internet, while the OECD figures were slightly higher. These findings will help shape strategies and interventions to enhance the quality of education in Malaysia, as the country plans to participate in PISA 2025.