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.
Malaysia’s poor PISA performance is not about “context” or “Covid excuses” — it is about systemic negligence: wrong teaching of letter sounds, failure to remediate intelligent children who disengage, and a culture of denial among so‑called experts like Dr. Anuar Ahmad who block questions instead of answering them. Singapore screens and rescues its “shutdown kids” early, Malaysia labels them dyslexic and leaves them behind.
Education Experts in Malaysia must think the Malaysians are a stupid lot of people who will believe everything they say.
Here are extracts from our New Straits Times dated January 24, 2024 and my comments.
Education experts said it is unfair to entirely judge the standards of the country's education system based on lower scores in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa).
"The success of our education system is not determined just by Pisa," said National Council of Professors (MPN) president Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Raduan Che Rose.
The following is from a Facebook post by Amir Faizal whose English is a pleasure to read.
Our latest 2022 PISA scores (released in December 2023) are actually quite depressing.
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 blunderbuss approach no doubt explains why university lecturers grapple with the frustration of trying to teach first-year students who do not know the basics of how to construct a sentence, in spite of the fact that they have studied English for 13 years and have passed Year 12.
I read the following on LinkedIn this morning.
Let this be our collective call to action - to reduce tech in classrooms and have classroom instruction center on texts. (Molly Ness, PhD)
Alarming new data shows U.S. students continue to fall behind their peers in reading as the country's achievement gap widens, according to results from the latest globally recognized international exam.
As usual the US and the UK will continue barking up the wrong tree.
Rebecca Saunder's profile on Twitter https://twitter.com/BeckRSaunders says she is a Professional Learning Coach.
The following is what she tweeted.
I have been screaming this into the void for years - why would kids care about an exam that means nothing to them?
Australian students aren’t trying in the Pisa exams. They should be congratulated for their disdain.
She copied that statement, without thinking, from an article by Van Badham a Guardian Australia columnist.
Do you really need research reports to tell you that consonants should not be taught with extraneous sounds?I have given you what I have learned directly from my students.If the Anglo world does not understand should they not do research?
Recently I saw a Facebook post by one Dr. Anuar Ahmad who has a following of 64K members. He writes many articles on education in Malay on Facebook. His motto on his Facebook profile is: "The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.” – Herbert Spencer
I have copied below his article dated 7.12.23 translated into English by Google and my comments. I hope to be able to pick his brains on this matter.
Echoes, Evidence, and the PISA Wake-Up Call
Shouldn’t we think before accepting anything we read?
Since 2016, when I first read that “reading is biologically unnatural,” I’ve disagreed. This post shows what happens when one researcher makes a claim—and others repeat it without question. Stanislas Dehaene. Pamela Snow. David Chalk. Regie Routman. The myth spreads. The consequences deepen.
Here is a post on LinkedIn on 24.12.23 by Donna Lee Fields and our discussion.
Donna Lee Fields's profile on LinkedIn says: 1st International Teacher-Trainer/Podcast Host.
Donna Lee Fields
When I asked Shelly Winterboer to define 'education', these were her first words. How could you expand on them?
For me, education is freedom… education expands my mindset. (Shelly Winterboer)
Note: Shelly Winterboer’s profile states: Providing services Life Coaching, Public Speaking, Team Building, and Interview Preparation.
A Twitter friend said the following:
Singapore's success in the PISA reading test can be attributed to several factors and effective teaching strategies. Here are some key aspects that contribute to Singapore's strong performance in reading:
Emphasis on Early Literacy: Singapore places a strong emphasis on early literacy development. Teachers focus on building a solid foundation in reading skills from the early years...
The other points he mentioned are general and common to most countries around the world.
I read this Substack article from the Scottish Union for Education this morning:
It highlights falling standards but dodges the hard truths. Here's why it's yet another evasion from those who refuse to face the real problems.
Extract:
This is despite the fact that Scottish standards in reading, math and science have been falling, according to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
My post yesterday was prompted by an article written by Syed Akbar Ali. LINK.
Here are extracts from that article:
Dear Malay brothers and sisters, there is a big difference in understanding, opinion and approach between the Chinese and the Malay-Muslims regarding education.
This is one of the main reasons why young Chinese people grow up to become towkays, managers and owners of companies and businesses, but Muslim Malay children will be chronically dependent on Malay political power to earn a living.
Pamela Snow once said I was “focusing too narrowly.”
Dr Karen Faulds suggested phonics may not foster a love of reading.
Both miss the point.
Claude Bernard put it cleanly: “It is what we think we know already that often prevents us from learning.”
Gatekeeping, Credentials, and the Fear of Accountability
Recap: What They Block
Parts 1 and 2 exposed the profit motives and herd-driven hit squads that silence my evidence-based solutions:
✅ Teaching pure /b/ instead of "buh"
✅ Free lessons over multimillion-dollar curricula
✅ Student success over PAD myths
But the ugliest motive? Gatekeeping.
