Malaysian School

Science Education
: Challenges and
the Way Forward
Ng Soo Boon, PhD
Curriculum Development Division
Ministry of Education Malaysia

Malaysia is moving towards a scientifically driven

economy, to become a developed nation by 2020

The country place great

importance to School Science
and Mathematics Education
Science is taught from preschool
till upper secondary school as
compulsory subject.
We have a large number of
qualified science and mathematics
teachers.
Every school is equipped with
3
science laboratories and apparatus.

We face a decline or a
stagnated enrolment in
pure science stream in
upper secondary school

Current Status
S&T

Pure Science

We have been under pressure to increase

the number of pure science students at
Schools level
S&T Stream
45%

Current
Scenario
at Upper
Secondary
School

Pure Sciene Stream

29%

Arts Stream
55%
Vocational Stream
3.9%
6

Pyramid of Human Resource Development 2020

20,000 Scientists

Researchers

10,000

Engineers/Technolo
gists

30,000
PhDs

+
65,000
MSc &
BSc

190,000
Practitioners

Scientists/Technologists/Applided
Scientists

405,000
MSc /
BSc/
Diploma

280,000
Engineers/Doctors/Architect/Computer
Science
Support/Service

800,000

Technicians/ TVET / S & T Officers/

Nurses / ICT Officers

BSc/Diploma/
Certificate

1.3 Million
(Source: Science and Technology Human Capital Roadmap: Towards 2020)
7

60
60::40 Policy
60:40
(Science:
Arts)
Ratio
Policy
was
formulated by Planning
Committee
of
Higher
Education in 1967
This policy proposed that
the ratio of Science and
Technology: Arts students
at the upper secondary
school and university level
as 60% S & T students :
40% Arts students.

The 60:40 policy has

been used as an
anchor in planning
for
students
enrolment,
infrastructure
prepared, teaching
staff trained in the
secondary
school
and
tertiary
education in the last
4 decades.
9

Why is there a decline in

enrolment of pure science
stream?
S & T graduate are not
marketable?
S & T job are not lucrative?
There is a lack of awareness of
the S & T related career?
Students perceive pure science as
difficult?
10
Science is boring ?

We face a decline in
international science and
mathematics achievement
assessments results

11

Purata Skor
TIMSS 1999, 2003, 2007 dan 2011
Sains

Matematik
519
500

508
500

487

510
500
474

467
450

500

467

500
492
488

500

500

474

471

500

477

466

440

426
1999

2003

2007

2011
1999

Skor Malaysia
Skor Purata Negara Peserta
TIMSS Scale Centerpoint

2003

2007

2011

12

Peratus Murid Mencapai Penandaarasan Dalam TIMSS

Matematik
1999
x 625

2003

2007

2011

10

Tahap Tertinggi

550 x 625

26

24

16

10

Tahap Tinggi

475 x 550

36

34

32

24

Tahap Sederhana

400 x 475

23

27

32

29

Tahap Rendah

0 x < 400

Tidak mencapai
Tahap Rendah

18

35
13

Peratus Murid Mencapai Penandaarasan Dalam TIMSS

Sains
x 625
Tahap Tertinggi

550 x 625
Tahap Tinggi

19

475 x 550
Tahap Sederhana

24

1999

10

32

23

30

20

2003

15

43

28

13

24

35

400 x 475
Tahap Rendah

0 x < 400
Tidak mencapai
Tahap Rendah

28

38

2007

2011

14

Kedudukan Dalam PISA 2012

Matematik Malaysia di tempat ke 52
1. Shanghai-China - 613

23. New Zealand 500

45. Romania 445

2. Singapore - 573

24.Czech Republic 499

46.Cyprus 440

3. Hong Kong-China - 561

25.France - 495

47.Bulgaria 439

4. Chinese Taipei - 560

26.U Kingdom- 494 OECD

48.UAE 434

5. Korea - 554

27.Iceland - 493

6. Macao-China - 538

28.Latvia - 491

50.Thailand 427

7. Japan - 536

29.Luxembourg - 490

51.Chile 423

8. Liechtenstein - 535

30.Norway - 489

52.MALAYSIA - 421

9. Switzerland - 531

31.Portugal - 487

53.Mexico 413

10. Netherlands 523

32.Italy - 485

54.Montenegro 410

11. Estonia - 521

33.Spain - 484

55.Uruguay 409

12. Finland - 519

34.Russian Fed. 482

56.Costa Rica 407

13. Canada 518

35.Slovak Republic 482

57.Albania 394

14. Poland - 518

36.United States 481

58.Brazil 391

15. Belgium - 515

37.Lithuania - 479

59.Argentina 388

16. Germany- 514

38.Sweden - 478

60.Tunisia 388

17. Viet Nam 511

39.Hungary - 477

61.Jordan - 386

18. Austria - 506

40.Croatia 471

62.Colombia 376

19. Australia - 504

41.Israel 466

20. Ireland 501

42.Greece - 453

21. Slovenia 501

43.Serbia 449

22. Denmark 500

44.Turkey - 448

Ave - 494

International
Ave - 456

49.Kazakhstan 432

63.Qatar 376
64.Indonesia 375
65.Peru 368

15

Kedudukan Dalam PISA 2012

Sains Malaysia di tempat ke 53
1. Shanghai-China - 580

23. Austria - 506

45. Bulgaria 446

2. Hong Kong-China 555

24. Belgium - 505

46. Chile 445

3. Singapore - 553

25. Latvia - 502

47. Serbia 445

4. Japan - 547

26. France - 502

5. Finland - 545

27. Denmark - 498

6. Estonia - 541

28. United States - 497

50. Cyprus 438

7. Korea 538

29. Spain - 496

51. Costa Rica 429

8. Viet Nam 528

30. Lithuania 496

52. Kazakhstan 425

9. Poland - 526

31. Norway 495

53. MALAYSIA - 420

10. Canada - 525

32. Hungary - 494

54. Uruguay 416

11. Liechtenstein - 525

33. Italy 494

55. Mexico 415

12. Germany 524

34. Croatia - 491

56. Montenegro 410

13. Chinese Taipei - 523

35. Luxembourg - 491

57. Jordan - 409

14. Netherlands - 522

36. Portugal - 487

58. Argentina 406

15. Ireland - 522

37. Russian Fed. 486

59. Brazil 405

16. Australia - 521

38. Sweden - 485

60. Colombia 399

17. Macao-China - 521

39. Iceland - 478

61.Tunisia 398

18. New Zealand - 516

40. Slovak Republic 471

62.Albania 397

19. Switzerland - 515

41. Israel 470

63.Qatar 384

20.Slovenia 514

42. Greece - 467

21. United Kingdom - 514

43. Turkey - 463

OECD Average 501

22. Czech Republic 508
44. UAE 448
International
Average 465

OECD
Ave - 501

International
Ave - 465

48. Thailand 444

49. Romania 439

64.Indonesia 382
65.Peru 373

16

PISA:Tahap Profisiensi Dalam Matematik di

Malaysia
0.41

100.0

1.35

90.0
80.0

12.6
40.4
47.0

70.0
60.0
50.0

64.4

40.0
30.0

59.2
51.7

20.0
10.0
0.0

23.0

2009

Bawah Minimum

2012

OECD

Pertengahan

Lanjutan

17

PISA: Tahap Profisiensi Dalam Sains di Malaysia

18

0.21

100.0

0.34

90.0

8.4

80.0
70.0

57.2

54.5

60.0
50.0

73.8

40.0
30.0
20.0

42.6

45.1

10.0
0.0

17.8

2009

Bawah Minimum

2012

OECD

Pertengahan

Lanjutan

Why?
Why does it seem like students
do not understand and are not
able to apply what they have learned?

19

Our Science Lessons are

no more focusing on
hands--on scientific
hands
investigations
REDUCED SCIENCE
PRACTICALS
Teachers generally
reduced frequencies of
engaging students in
science practical works
ever since the Science
Practical Examination
was scraped in the
early 2000s.

20

2
1

Where are our science

experiments?
School laboratories are in a deplorable
condition?
There is not enough of PCG?
Conducting science experiments are
time consuming and troublesome?
Students only want to know the right
answer?
SPM results has not relation at all with
science experiments?
22

There is a gap between

the aspired curriculum,
implemented curriculum
and examined curriculum
Although the written curriculum developed by the Ministry
of Education (MOE) specifically states that science
education includes three main components which are
knowledge, scientific skills and scientific attitudes, the
taught curriculum does not reflect this focus very well and
the examined curriculum did not reflect this balance
either.

23

Focus in Malaysian
Science Curriculum
Knowledge

Scientific
Skills

Thinking
Science

Inquiry

Scientific
Attitude
and Values

24

Acquisition of Knowledge of
Science and Technology

Thoughtf
ul
Learning
Mastery of
Cognitive and
Manipulative Skills

Inculcation of
Scientific Attitude and
Moral Value

INQUIRY DISCOVERY

Model of Thoughtful Learning in Revised Science Curriculum, 2001

25

Approaches and strategies of teaching

and learning contributing towards
inquiry learning
Student Centered Approach

Science Technology Society Experiment Future study

(STS) approach
Problem
solving

Inquiry
learning

Mastery Learning

Simulation
Discussion

Using out of
school resources
Constructivism

Contextual
Learning

26

Malaysia has long history with

inquiry in our education
system. Inquiry is not foreign
to Malaysian science educators
and students and it has been
promoted since the early
1960s where conducting
experiments was a fixed
feature in science lessons.

27

TIMSS REPORT
Students did not regularly engaged in
conducting experiments
Science lessons were mostly teachercentered, 78 percent which is higher than
international average, of the Malaysian
students reported watching teachers
demonstrate experiment and
investigation; rather than doing it
themselves(TIMSS 2007)
47% of the Malaysian students were
involved in science investigation less than
half of the lessons (TIMSS 2011)
29

Why arent we observing

what the nature offering us?

There is a Need
for Change
We need our future
generation to be critical
and creative thinkers, and
be able to find solution and
create innovations and
services. The key criteria in
nurturing these individuals
are curiosity,

inquisitiveness and
inquiry.

31

We need to get back to the basics

Classroom

Instruction and
Curriculum
Curriculum

Teachers
belief system

Students
personality system

Learning

Teaching

Instruction
Figure 1: Action Space of Four Systems:
Curriculum, Instruction,
Teaching, Learning (Macdonald, 1965, p. 4 )

 As all the systems converge in the shaded

areas as in Figure 1, the curriculum goals
become operative in the instructional
setting through the agency of effective
teaching activity as evidenced by the
changed behaviour or learning of the
students (Macdonald, 1965, p.5).
This theory of curriculum and instruction
explains classroom interaction which will
bring about good practice in teaching and
effective learning.
It provides a mean to understand classroom
teaching in its proper perspective. No
system working without the other systems
would be able to achieve success.

120
100
80
60
40
20
0

% of Students
whose Teachers are
Very Collaborative +
Collaborative with
other Teachers
% of Students
whose Teachers are
Somewhat
Collaborative with
Other Teachers

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

% of Students whose
Teachers Relate
Lessons to Students
Daily Lives Every
Lesson or Almost
Every Lesson
% of Students whose
Teachers Relate
Lessons to Students
Daily Lives About
Half the Lessons or
Less

Science Teachers Instructional Practices

120
100
80
60
40
20
0

% of Students whose
Teachers used
Instruction that
Engage Students in
Learning about
lesson and above
% of Students whose
Teachers used
Instruction that
Engage Students in
Learning only in
Some Lessons

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

% of Students whose
Teachers Bring
Interesting Materials
for Every Lesson or
Almost Every Lesson
% of Students whose
Teachers Bring
Interesting Materials
for About Half the
Lessons or Less

90

80

70

60

% of Students whose
Teachers Emphasize on
Science Investigation About
Half of the Lessons

50

40

% of Students whose
Teachers Emphasize on
Science Investigation Only in
Some Lessons

30

20

10

0
Chinese Singapore England
Taipei

United
States

Intnl
Average

Malaysia Thailand Indonesia

Teachers perspective

Engaging
in Learning

Students perspect
Want is engaging to
teachers might not be
engaging to students

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10

England
Malaysia

Intnl Average
Singapore
Chinese Taipei

The Way Forwa

39

Malaysia Education Blueprint

2013-2025

40

Five system aspiration : Access, Quality,

Equity, Unity and
Efficiency

41

11
shifts

4
2

Wave 3

Wave 2

Wave 1
43

Situational Analysis points towards:

Challenges and Key
success factors
The need to engage public,
teachers and students in
enhancing quality of science
education.

Challenges and Key

success factors
The need to embark on
scientific inquiry in
science lessons to raise
interest and quality of
science learning.

Lessons learned

Systemic change
is necessary

44

11

Inquiry is
How we
come to
know Vs
What we
know

Discover
how more
than what

Produce
students
who are
problem
solvers
rather than
passive
direction
followers

Need a change of mindset

45

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HO

46

 STEM Education
International Baccalaureate
Concept based Curriculum

Status of IBSE in Malaysia

Inquiry is
generally
defined as the
process of
finding out
which
involves
asking
questions,
examining or
investigating
a particular
phenomenon
using our
senses and
cognition.

In the specific
context of
science,
inquiry is the
use of the
processes of
science,
scientific
knowledge
and scientific
attitude to
reason and to
think
critically.

48

A simple solution
Looking into the

Of teaching

 Systemic change must be

carried. It requires focus and
precision. Ask ourselves,
Where is the
?

50

Where is our heart? What is our

priority

Classroom
51

 Diagnose the needs of the

students
Look from the perspective of the
students

52

What do the students need?

53

Strengthening delivery of
Science Education across the
education system
Review existing
primary and
secondary school
Science curricula,
benchmark with
international
standards, emphasize
on higher-order
thinking skills

Review the national

and school-based
Science assessments
at primary and
secondary schools to
increase the
proportion of
questions that focus
on creative and
problem-solving

Increasing
e-learning video
instructional time
library for
allocated to
students learning
Science
Science on
EduWebTV.

Encourage projectbased and inquirybased learning,

increase of laboratory
work, the use of ICT
software.

Practical testing
elements in
national
examinations

54

Nurturing competencies &

pedagogies of teachers
Diagnostic exercise to
benchmark teachers
of Science in terms of
their content
knowledge and
pedagogical skills

School Improvement
Specialist Coaches
(SISC+). SISC+ will
act as mentor and
coach to teachers in
schools besides
delivering
Professional
Development sessions

Professional
Development
development for
teachers

e-learning video
library for teachers

ICT can provide

teachers and students
with additional
information and
resources

all school timetables

to be changed to
accommodate
teachers to plan
lessons
collaboratively and
create professional
learning communities
(PLC)
55

Engaging public and

student awareness
Working with other
Further expand
governmental
this collaboration
agencies (like
by injecting more
MASTIC and
critical thinking
MOSTI), the private
elements into
sector and NGOs,
existing and new
campaign via
educational TV.
television,
newspapers and
social media are
being initiated.

Continue to
collaborate with
institutions such as
museums and
science centres to
develop or scale up
learning programs
for students and
teachers.

Campaign to
educate the public
about the diversity
of career
opportunities in
Science related
fields

Working with local

terrestrial and
satellite television
stations to develop
options for
televising events56
like science fairs
and robotics

Expanding Mobile
Science Center
program to further
reach rural and
remote schools.

Improving participation in
Science
Provide incentives
for students

Tax relief for

parents with
children in the
Science stream

Provide hands-on
Promote Science as
learning
fun, relevant and
opportunities for
enriching
students. through
events such as
Mobile Science fairs
and Science camps

Incentivizing
teachers such as
awards for
outstanding
Science teachers
Introducing
Science-related
KPIs like the
number of Science
students and
quality of lab
facilities.

57

 No matter how policies are crafted,

its implementation at school level
still requires interpretation and the
ingenuity of the teachers.
Teachers need to look at the need
of the students and the students
context
There is no one Best Practice !

58

Key to success!
Look deep into the heart of the
matter. Understand why we
teach. Create our own way of
teaching to develop the kind of
thinking future generation.

59

Conclusion
Knowing the purpose of teaching
Adapt teaching strategies to the
needs of our students
Remember the
of teaching!

6
1