The Pike Effect in Malaysian Education

 

Why We Read, Watch, and Stay Silent — Even When the Glass Barrier Is Gone

Recently, the popular podcast Keluar Sekejap (hosted by Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan) sparked an important discussion: In SPM 2025, more than 13,000 students achieved straight A's — a number that looks impressive on paper. Yet Malaysia's PISA scores continue to decline. The episode asked a pointed question: Is our education system truly producing excellence, or are we creating an illusion of success? Many of us watched or read about that episode (and similar critiques). We nod in agreement privately. We share the concern about "shut-down kids," rote learning, dyslexia being overlooked, and students who master exams but struggle with real-world application and critical thinking. But how many of us actually comment publicly on Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), or even in the comments section? Very few!

 

Here is the video link to Keluar sekejap: https://x.com/i/status/2040334125614383385

This silence is not just laziness or disinterest. It is a classic case of the Pike Effect — also known as learned helplessness.

What Is the Pike Effect?

The Pike Effect comes from a simple but powerful behavioural experiment with a pike fish. Place a pike in a tank with a glass divider separating it from its favourite food — minnows. The hungry pike repeatedly slams into the invisible barrier, learning the hard way that it cannot reach the food. After some time, researchers remove the glass. The minnows now swim freely right in front of the pike... but the pike no longer tries. It has learned helplessness. It starves even though success is now possible.

Humans do the same thing.

We experience repeated "failures" or perceived risks — criticism, backlash, or worse — and eventually stop trying, even when the environment changes.

Malaysia's Version of the Glass Barrier

For decades, the Internal Security Act (ISA) under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad created a deep cultural fear. People could be detained without trial for speaking out on sensitive issues, including education policy, government performance, or national challenges like PISA rankings. That glass wall was real and painful.

The ISA was repealed in 2012. The barrier is gone.

Yet many Malaysians still behave as if it is there. We read posts about falling PISA scores, about students with dyslexia being mislabelled as lazy or "shut-down," about SPM straight-A factories that don't translate into genuine skills — and we scroll past without commenting. We watch Keluar Sekejap episodes that bravely highlight the gap between SPM results and international benchmarks, but the comments sections remain quiet. Why? Learned helplessness lingers. Old fears don't disappear overnight. A generation (or two) internalised the message: "Better to stay silent than risk trouble."

Current laws still chill speech. Even post-ISA, laws like Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act create hesitation. People worry about being called in for "offensive" or "annoying" online comments, especially on education or policy topics.

Social habits reinforce it. On platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and X, most people are lurkers anyway. In Malaysia, the Pike Effect makes this even stronger when the topic touches national pride or systemic issues.

 

The result? Valuable discussions — like the one in the recent Keluar Sekejap episode about SPM 2025 straight-A students versus declining PISA performance — happen mostly in private WhatsApp groups or quiet living rooms. Public engagement stays low, even when readers clearly care.

I see this pattern with my own posts. People read them. Views appear. But comments? Almost none. Yet when I offer private Zoom discussions on dyslexia, "shut-down kids," or education reform, interest surfaces. The minnows are there — the willingness to engage exists — but the old glass makes many hesitate.

Breaking the Pike Effect Starts with Small Actions

The good news? The barrier really is gone. We can test the waters safely. Education is too important to leave in silence. Malaysia's future depends on honest conversations about why PISA scores keep falling even as SPM results look better on the surface. We need to talk about supporting dyslexic students, reducing rote learning, helping "shut-down kids" regain motivation, and building real skills instead of exam illusions.

If you're reading this and nodding along with the Keluar Sekejap discussion — or with critiques of our education system — this is your invitation.

The glass is gone. The minnows (real discussion and solutions) are right here.

Leave a comment below. Share your thoughts:

Do you agree that SPM success sometimes masks deeper problems shown by PISA?

Have you or your child experienced the "shut-down kid" phenomenon?

What small change would you like to see in our schools?

 

You don't need to write an essay. A simple "I agree" or "This happened to my child" is enough to start breaking the cycle.

If commenting still feels uncomfortable, reach out privately via my contact form or email. I'm always happy to chat on Zoom about dyslexia support, education reform, or why the Pike Effect affects all of us.

Let's prove the pike wrong. Success is possible once we start trying again.