Malaysian students have demonstrated notable resilience and curiosity, ranking among the top globally in these attributes according to the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) announced. Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek revealed that Malaysian 15-year-olds scored highest worldwide in their willingness to seek help and were ranked third in learning resilience.
The assessment, which focuses on reading, mathematics, and science, was administered in 2025 with science as the primary domain. A total of 7,624 Malaysian students from 157 schools participated in the study, which included 91 countries and economies.
Malaysia’s science score increased by three points to 419, and reading improved by five points to 393 compared to the 2022 results. However, the country's mathematics score declined by 11 points to 397. Fadhlina acknowledged the drop in mathematics as a concern that requires serious and focused attention.
The country also achieved recognition for its educational equity, with only 17% of the variance in student performance attributed to differences between schools—a figure comparable to Singapore’s. This suggests a relatively level playing field across Malaysian educational institutions.
Another highlight was Malaysia’s strong performance in computational problem-solving, which was assessed for the first time in 2025. Malaysian students scored 484 points, placing the country among six global leaders exceeding OECD expectations in this domain. Computational problem-solving involves analyzing complex problems by breaking them down, identifying patterns, and organizing steps to find solutions.
OECD director for education and skills Dr. Andreas Schleicher commended Malaysian students for their perseverance and increasing ability to direct their own learning. He emphasized that while knowledge remains important, the capacity for continuous learning and curiosity will be critical in a future shaped by advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Despite the positive results, Fadhlina expressed concern over social challenges facing students. Five percent of Malaysian participants reported experiencing cyberbullying, a rate higher than the OECD average. Additionally, students indicated lower levels of family support for education, with Malaysia scoring -0.51 points versus the OECD’s -0.19 average. The minister urged families to enhance support for their children’s learning, noting the connection between cyberbullying and lower academic achievement.
To address areas needing improvement, Malaysia is implementing initiatives including the Malaysian Mathematics Education Transformation Plan 2026-2035 and the introduction of a new school curriculum starting next year. Fadhlina concluded that the focus going forward is to leverage existing strengths while systematically tackling weaknesses identified through the PISA assessment.