I recently reached out to Enc. Khairy Jamaluddin for a Zoom meeting after listening to the latest Keluar Sekejap podcast. In that episode, he and Enc. Shahril Hamdan highlighted a striking contrast: more than 13,000 students scored straight A's in SPM 2025 — yet Malaysia's PISA scores continue to fall badly. The discussion raised uncomfortable but necessary questions about whether our education system is delivering real excellence or just an illusion of success.
Many Malaysians watched or read about it. Many more read posts like mine on education reform, dyslexia, and "shut-down kids." But public comments? Extremely rare.
This is the Pike Effect in full force — learned helplessness. Just like the pike fish that stops trying to reach the minnows after repeatedly hitting a glass barrier, many of us have learned to stay silent even though the old barriers (like the repealed ISA) are largely gone. We read, we agree privately, but we don't engage publicly. The result? Important conversations stall, and our education system doesn't improve as fast as it could.
The Glass Barrier That Lingers
Under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the Internal Security Act (ISA) created real fear of speaking out on sensitive national issues, including education policy. Even though the ISA was repealed years ago, the habit of caution remains strong. Current laws add to the chill, but the deeper problem is psychological: we act as if the barrier is still there.
I see this every day on social media. People read my posts but rarely comment. When I wrote about PISA and our education challenges, Dr. Anuar Ahmad blocked me on Facebook and never answered my questions. He continues writing influential posts (with a large following) about education, yet he doesn't engage with differing views from experienced voices.
This is exactly the hindrance to improvement I mentioned in my earlier posts.
Lessons from My Previous Writings on PISA and Dr. Anuar
In my December 2023 post, "Dr. Anuar Ahmad and PISA Results", I responded to his article on the worrying PISA 2022 results. He rightly noted that Malaysian students' performance in science, language (reading), and especially math had sunk compared to 2018 — even as SPM results improved in those years. He asked tough questions about the syllabus, teachers, parents, and students.
I pointed out key issues:
Singapore consistently ranks No. 1 in PISA. Why? They identify and support children who struggle with reading early (by the end of Grade 1), instead of misclassifying intelligent kids as dyslexic and effectively sidelining them.
Many bright Malaysian children "shut down" or disengage from learning to read early on. They are often wrongly labelled dyslexic, and this affects who even participates meaningfully in such assessments.
I shared my research (starting in 2004, with my book Shut Down Kids gifted to leaders in 2018) debunking outdated ideas like phonological awareness deficit as the main cause of dyslexia. I emailed the Education Minister and others with no replies. Dr. Anuar raised problems but offered no real dialogue.
Then, in my August 2024 post, "PISA Exam Revisited – Part 1", I noted how Malaysia is no longer competing with Singapore but falling behind neighbours like Vietnam and Brunei in education standards. I criticised the lack of open exchange: "I give my ideas and you give your opinions... At the end of the day we both go away with new knowledge." Yet Anuar blocked me and kept posting without listening to experienced teachers or alternative views.
This pattern — writing publicly but not responding or engaging — is precisely what slows progress. If even academics and influencers with large platforms refuse dialogue, how can the system improve?
Latest PISA 2022 data confirms the crisis: Malaysia scored 409 in math (OECD average: 472), 388 in reading, and 416 in science — with big declines and Malaysia ranking near the bottom among participating countries (around 54th in math out of 81). We are not in the top 50.
Breaking the Silence: The Glass Is Gone
The Pike Effect explains why so few comment on these critical topics. Fear from the ISA era, plus modern self-censorship, makes many lurk instead of engage. People like Dr. Anuar who post but block or ignore questions make it worse — they model closed-mindedness instead of the open debate needed for real reform.
But the barrier is gone. We can talk safely about:
· Why intelligent kids disengage and get mislabelled.
· Early intervention for reading struggles (Singapore's strength).
· Moving beyond rote learning and exam illusions to build real skills.
· Supporting dyslexic and "shut-down" children properly.
I have asked Khairy Jamaluddin for a Zoom meeting to discuss these issues constructively. Let's hope he agrees — open conversation at that level could spark real ideas.
Your Turn — Let's Prove the Pike Wrong
If you're reading this and care about Malaysia's future, don't stay silent like the pike.
The minnows (real solutions) are right here.
Leave a comment below:
What do you think explains the gap between SPM straight-A results and poor PISA performance?
Have you seen "shut-down kids" or dyslexia misdiagnosis in your family or school?
How can we encourage more open dialogue in education?
Even a short "I agree" or "This happened to my child" helps break the cycle. If commenting feels uneasy, contact me privately or suggest a Zoom chat.
Education is too important for learned helplessness. Let's listen to each other, share ideas (even if we disagree), and move forward with new knowledge — as I always say: "If I am wrong, all I have to say is sorry. Then I move on."
The glass is gone. Time to start trying again.
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