Pisa 2025 maths score of 397 puts SPM grading under question in the Dewan Rakyat

Malaysia's Pisa 2025 maths score of 397 points was debated in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday, 13 October. MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong asked why Malaysian students keep excelling in SPM yet fall short in Pisa. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh replied that SPM grades are set through a process that is fair and comparable.

The exchange took place in a Special Chamber session. According to Bernama, Wee moved a motion on the Pisa targets missed under the Malaysia Education Blueprint (PPPM) 2013-2025 and the fall in maths performance.

What Pisa is and how Malaysia scored

Pisa is the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment, a test of 15-year-olds in reading, maths and science. The 2025 results came out last month. According to The Star and Bernama:

• Maths: 397 points, down 11 from 409 in 2022. Wong said it is Malaysia's lowest maths result since it began taking part. In 2018 the score was 440.
• Science: 419 points, up three.
• Reading: 393 points, up five.

What Wee asked

Wee said Malaysian students consistently produce excellent SPM results, so "there must be a reason" their Pisa results are not as good. "I am not downplaying the SPM system but there must be a reason why SPM results are good but Pisa results are not," he said, as reported by The Star.

He asked whether the ministry would bring in fixed SPM grade boundaries instead of adjusting them to student performance. He pointed to the United Kingdom, where thresholds are set for each grade. "We need to set a fixed standard across all subjects," he said, and asked whether the ministry was willing to move away from the bell curve.

Wee also said Covid-19 can no longer be used as an excuse, because the 2025 cohort had three years of regular schooling and maths still declined. According to Bernama, he said only 0.6 per cent of Malaysian students reached the excellent level, against an OECD average of 8 per cent. That figure is Wee's claim as reported.

Wong Kah Woh's reply

Wong acknowledged remaining weaknesses and said the PPPM aim of placing Malaysia in the top third of countries in international assessments such as Pisa has not been achieved.

On grading, Wong compared local assessment with the UK's IGCSE, which uses fixed mark ranges. He rejected the claim that SPM grading hides a decline in skills. "Grade determination involves a standard-setting process to ensure that examination results are fair and comparable," he said, according to Bernama. He added that SPM and Pisa serve different purposes and use different assessment methods.

On the maths decline, Wong said the ministry's analysis found the challenge goes beyond calculation and memorising formulae to understanding concepts, reasoning and applying knowledge in new situations. According to The Star, he said students may understand questions in familiar formats but struggle with other formats.

What the ministry plans

• Carry out the Mathematics Education Transformation Plan 2026 following the Pisa 2025 findings.
• Identify learning gaps from as early as Year One.
• Match teachers to their subject specialisation more closely.
• Shift teaching from procedures to constructive learning, with stronger understanding and problem solving.
• Introduce a "Pisa for schools" initiative as a diagnostic tool for schools.
• Keep the National Education Plan 2026-2035 focused on numeracy and literacy.

The reports we reviewed do not give a timeline or budget for the maths plan.

What it means for parents

The question of fixed grade boundaries has not been answered with a commitment to change the system. For now, SPM grades continue to be set by the current method. Parents who want a clearer picture of their child's level can check whether their school joins the "Pisa for schools" initiative once it launches. The ministry says it is putting the emphasis on understanding concepts rather than memorising.

Read also

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Sources

• The Star, Gap between SPM results and Pisa scores puzzling, says Dr Wee, 14 October 2026
• The Star, Why do Malaysian students excel in SPM but lag in PISA, asks Dr Wee, 13 October 2026
• Bernama, MOE Intensifies Efforts To Address Gaps In Students' Mathematics Proficiency, 13 October 2026