Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Malaysia
Malaysia: Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education was 41.9% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Malaysia, 2009–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Malaysia stood at 41.9%. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of down 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Malaysia peaked at 62.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 41.9%, in 2022.
That places Malaysia 53rd out of 59 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 56.0% | — |
| 2012 | 47.3% | -15.6% |
| 2015 | 62.8% | +32.7% |
| 2018 | 54.2% | -13.7% |
| 2022 | 41.9% | -22.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 56.0% | 56.0% | 56.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 54.7% | 47.3% | 62.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 41.9% | 41.9% | 41.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.48 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0416 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.4237 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0444 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5628 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 273,792 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 7.51 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Malaysia?
- Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education in Malaysia was 41.9% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 62.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.9% in 2022.
- How does Malaysia rank for share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education?
- Malaysia ranks 53rd out of 59 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of students achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of students who achieve minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education. This data includes only students enrolled in school.