Malaysia has made great strides in expanding access to education and this is something to applaud. We have near-universal primary enrollment, secondary enrollment is above 90% while pre-school enrollment rates have increased to around 90%. However, access alone does not guarantee good learning outcomes. An estimated 122,000 Year 1 students struggle with basic literacy and numeracy skills. Meanwhile, PISA findings demonstrated that a concerning portion of 15-year-old Malaysian students do not meet the minimum standards in reading, maths and science. These poor learning outcomes raise a critical question: Now that we’ve got more students in school, are they truly learning?
Education is often touted as one of society’s great equalisers, enhancing the prospects of social mobility and a pathway out of poverty. Education is also key for the country’s development and equitable economic growth. Yet for this to happen, our education system must prioritise outcomes, not just access. Quality education is crucial to maximise education’s potential as society’s equaliser and to reap its benefits, we must ensure education works for all Malaysian children, not just some.
The Interplay of Wealth and Education Inequities
Despite increased access to schooling, socioeconomic status (SES) remains a key predictor of student performance. Findings from PISA 2022 show that SES accounted for 18% of the variation in mathematics performance among Malaysian students. This means that a child’s family background continues to influence their learning outcomes and subsequent life chances.
Privilege often unlocks further privilege, while access to resources opens further opportunities. Families with financial means equip their children with tools—such as private tuition, better schools, and extracurricular activities—that enhance their chances of success. It is natural and commendable for parents to provide the best for their children. What matters is how we as a society, and how our institutions like schools and governments, respond to this divide to ensure that inequalities are not simply reproduced, especially by the very institutions meant to mitigate them. Therefore, offering targeted support to those who need it most is essential to bridging these gaps.
Fostering a Stronger Commitment to Equity in Schools
Disparities between urban and rural schools are widely recognised and remain a pressing issue. However, another important yet less-discussed issue exists at the school level, particularly when it comes to resource allocation.
Top-performing classes often receive priority access to experienced teachers, specialised rooms, and resources such as libraries and computer labs. They are also more likely to benefit from opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities or enrichment programmes. In contrast, students in lower-performing classes—those who may need the most support—are often overlooked or sidelined when it comes to these critical resources.
This unfortunate reality is shaped not only by limited resources but also by a mindset that prioritises immediate outcomes for some over long-term equity for all. Addressing this requires a fundamental shift at every level—national policy, school leadership, and teachers’ mindsets and classroom practices—to ensure that these disparities are recognised and effectively tackled. Policies must be sensitive towards the multi-faceted disparities experienced by students and this must be matched by a strong commitment to equity within schools. This involves rethinking how resources are distributed, especially in resource-constrained environments.
Without this shift in mindset and practice, disadvantaged students will continue to fall further behind. To truly facilitate equality of opportunity, we must foster a collective belief—across all layers of society—that education should not just focus on delivering outcomes for some, but create opportunities for every student to succeed.
Teaching Quality Is the Key Lever To Drive Learning Outcomes
While equitable resource allocation can help address educational disparities, true transformation lies in prioritising teaching quality above all else. Teaching quality is one of the most critical factors in improving learning outcomes. Research has also shown that effective teachers can narrow achievement gaps, enabling students from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn at the same rate as their more advantaged peers. For students in underserved communities, good teaching can prevent them from dropping out of school completely.
To achieve this, Malaysia must shift from access-based policies to prioritising quality-driven ones such as strengthening the teaching profession. This includes investing in robust pre-service and in-service training, addressing the issue of teacher shortages, and creating more diverse pathways that attract passionate and talented individuals to serve in the public education system. Additionally, efforts must also be directed at protecting teaching and learning time in schools, allowing for uninterrupted and effective learning to happen. All of this requires an enabling policy environment with strong support for teachers to transform our schools into institutions where every student can thrive. When quality teaching is the norm, only then can our learning outcomes improve and education fulfil its true potential as one of society’s great equalisers.
Quality Education For All
Education must serve as both a driver of opportunity and a social safety net for all segments of society. It should not be a gamble, where success is left to chance and where the odds are stacked against those who need it most. Rather, education must be a reliable stepping stone, providing all students, regardless of their background, with the chance to thrive in the present and secure a better future.
By prioritising quality and equity, Malaysia can create an education system that uplifts every child and builds a brighter, more inclusive and prosperous future for all.
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