National reading survey reveals strong academic habits but low leisure reading among Malaysian youth

KUALA LUMPUR - While Malaysia boasts a high general literacy rate of 94.64 per cent, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 results saw Malaysia rank below the international average for reading, with a decline in scores from 415 in 2018 to 388 in 2022, which underscores the severity of low critical literacy rates. Less than half of participating students achieved the minimum proficiency benchmark.

A recent survey by the Financial Industry Collective Outreach (FINCO), Reading Culture Amongst Malaysian Students, which received 1,168 responses from primary and secondary school students across Malaysia, found a strong positive link between reading and academic achievement.

Students who read less frequently tend to achieve lower average grades, which indicates a pressing need for targeted interventions to cultivate a thriving reading culture, particularly in light of declining international assessment scores.

The survey also found that while students demonstrated strong reading habits for academic demands, a significant gap exists in self-initiated leisure reading, with more than a quarter of respondents not reading as a personal hobby.

Commenting on these findings, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, Chairman of FINCO said, "It is encouraging to see students engaging deeply with academic texts, but we must also nurture curiosity and joy in reading beyond the classroom. When reading becomes a habit of choice, not just a task, it opens doors to creativity, empathy, and lifelong learning.”

The survey also found that students from low-income households-indicated by receipt of free school meals-are twice as likely to read infrequently compared to their peers from higher-income households, and are also less likely to read for pleasure. Limited book availability at home is a compounding factor, with nearly 1 in 3 students having fewer than 10 books at home.

A deeper dive into the data shows a correlation between home book availability and reading frequency. Frequent readers are most likely to come from homes with more than 20 books, whereas infrequent readers are more likely to have fewer books at home.

Primary students who are read to more than four times per week also showed the strongest tendency to have good reading habits, suggesting that the less students are read to on a regular basis, the less likely they are to be frequent readers.

Meanwhile, 73 per cent of respondents who report being frequent readers read on digital devices on a daily basis, compared to 53 per cent of infrequent readers, suggesting a positive correlation between reading frequency and use of digital devices.

"Digital reading is reshaping how young Malaysians interact with stories and information. As students turn increasingly to screens for both learning and leisure, our goal should be to nurture habits that promote curiosity, comprehension, and critical thinking-empowering them to navigate information wisely and creatively,” said Clare Walker, CEO of FINCO.

The report identifies four focus areas for cultivating a strong national reading culture:

Fostering Interest-Driven Reading: To cultivate a thriving reading culture, schools and communities should utilise digital platforms and visually appealing genres. Expanding access to culturally relevant reading materials can make reading both enjoyable and inclusive, particularly for students from lower-income backgrounds.

Expanding Access to Reading Materials: Interventions should prioritise expanding both physical and digital access to books, enhancing school and community libraries, and cultivating supportive environments at home and school, moving away from a reliance on extrinsic rewards.

Cultivating Reading Habits in the Home: Families are encouraged to model reading and establish structured reading routines from a young age, with schools and programmes reinforcing the value of reading for pleasure.

Leveraging Technology: Educational strategies must actively incorporate digital resources, given the strong link between frequent reading and digital device use. This should include providing guidance to students and parents on online safety and sourcing appropriate reading materials to enhance digital literacy.

The full report can be read on FINCO’s website at www.finco.my/reports.

--BERNAMA