Malaysia’s Poverty Gap in Schools is Huge!

 

The Programme for International Student Assessment is run by the OECD, a group of mostly wealthy countries that compares living standards and policy performance worldwide. The results confirm something uncomfortable: a student’s family background remains one of the strongest predictors of academic performance in Malaysia. 

Socioeconomically advantaged 15-year-olds – the top 25% by family wealth, parental education and home resources – outscored their disadvantaged peers, the bottom 25%, by 82 points in science (see graph above from Pisa 2025 results). What this means in real-world terms is deeply concerning. Under standard Pisa methodology, 20 score points roughly represent one year of schooling. An 82-point gap therefore equals about four years of formal education. Malaysia’s poorest 15-year-olds are four years behind their wealthier peers – a gap we cannot afford to ignore. 

This is what experts call the ‘inverse care law of education’, or the ‘social determinants of education’. Children who need the most support, resources and high-quality teaching are the least likely to get them. Nearly two-thirds – 63% – of Malaysia’s most disadvantaged students failed to reach even baseline science proficiency, known as Level 2, in 2025. One in 10 disadvantaged students, however, scored in the top quarter for science – proof that academic resilience is possible despite socioeconomic disadvantage. Such gaps exist in many OECD countries – the average difference there is 85 points. But that should not be a comfort. 

These are the children Malaysia has been leaving behind for years. The gap narrowed modestly between 2018 and 2022 but has since widened again. By 2025, it was back to nearly 2018 levels. 

This points to an uneven education system. Students from disadvantaged homes are less likely to have the resources, environments and support that lead to strong academic outcomes. 

To assess progress, we need to use disaggregated Pisa scores and educational outcomes data broken down by socioeconomic status. While all students need support, resources should target those furthest behind and schools serving lower-income communities. Funding should follow need with more funds for schools with high numbers of disadvantaged students. 

Set a clear, time-bound target to significantly reduce the gap between disadvantaged and advantaged students. It may be better to measure this using Pisa’s baseline proficiency threshold, Level 2 – the minimum skill level the OECD considers necessary to participate effectively in society and further learning – rather than score points. 

Restore elite schools in each district/state where resources and outcomes are measured. Send disadvantaged students to these elite institutions with financial and material support. Education is a way out of poverty. 

Provide quality tuition centres at PPR flats to assist students overcome the disadvantage. Incentivise teachers in these centres for producing quality students. 

In the longer term is to scale-up every rural/urban school via technology for desired outcomes. And encourage parents to guide their children in new skill sets for the future. 

There is a lot of work to be done but nothing will move with the present Minister of Education. And unfortunately, PMX will continue to shield her. 

Reference:

Malaysia’s Poverty Gap in schools is not just wide – it’s huge, Amar-Singh HSS, ALIRAN,
25 September 2026