An insight into primary science education in Malaysia

Malaysia has given a high priority to educational development since gaining independence in 1957. The country’s main post-independence concerns were to create a national identity and to expand the educational system with the aim of ‘eradicating poverty and redressing the economic imbalance among races’ (Lee, 1992, p.253). Over the past 50 years, Malaysia has transformed from an economy that is heavily reliant on primary commodities to one which is driven by high-tech manufacturing and foreign direct investments. Malaysia aspired to move beyond its middle-income status to become a high income and developed nation state by 2020, with the development of science education being one key way of achieving this. However, now, a number of years after this aim was put forward, science education in Malaysia is still underdeveloped and yet has so much potential to improve. To harness the knowledge economy for sustained growth and inclusive development, the country relies on science and technology. However, young people are not enrolling on courses in the science field as much as previously, and the quality of results based on major national level examinations is about average on a global level (ASM, 2018). In response, this article will review primary science education in Malaysia to highlight some of the possible factors that have contributed to young people’s declining interest in science. It will explore five core areas: the development of the primary science curriculum, assessment of primary science, the language of science instruction, science teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 60:40 (science and Arts) policy.