The reading difficulty we may be missing — Faizanah Abdul Alim Sidique

On September 8, the story of a six-year-old girl who struggled to read in kindergarten circulated. Despite attending for three years, she remained significantly behind her peers. Labels of laziness and low learning ability were assigned, but her teacher, Faizanah Abdul Alim Sidique, sensed something more was at play. Dyslexia had not yet been on her radar.

Curiosity piqued by a friend's question about dyslexia, Faizanah delved into research and discovered striking similarities between the girl's challenges and common dyslexia indicators. She shared her concerns with the principal, leading to the girl's parents seeking an assessment from Persatuan Dyslexia Malaysia. The assessment confirmed the girl's dyslexia diagnosis.

A year later, Faizanah reunited with the girl's mother. She shared that her daughter had made remarkable progress, successfully reading and preparing to return to mainstream schooling. This experience profoundly impacted Faizanah, reminding her of the dangers of dismissing learning difficulties as mere laziness or lack of effort.

Fast forward to Malaysia's current literacy situation. In a 2024 response to the Dewan Rakyat, the Ministry of Education reported that in 2023, 154,853 students from Form One to Form Five were only at Level 1 or 2 in Bahasa Melayu, struggling with basic reading, writing, and numeracy skills. However, this figure represents only a portion of the students facing literacy challenges, as the Ministry clarifies.

The root causes span interrupted learning, language exposure, attendance patterns, teaching methods, and other learning needs.

Nonetheless, the figure underscores the urgency of addressing reading difficulties among Malaysian students. International benchmarks reveal that only 42% of Malaysian 15-year-olds achieved Level 2 or above in reading proficiency, a stark contrast to the OECD average of 74%. This indicates that over half of Malaysian adolescents encounter significant reading challenges as they advance through the education system.

Recent Malaysian research highlights the critical need for earlier recognition and intervention. A 2026 study involving 2,410 secondary-school students across five states examined a dyslexia screening tool, revealing concerns about late diagnosis and misdiagnosis. Another study published in PLOS ONE noted that some cases among secondary-school students may go unnoticed due to limited screening tools designed for older students.

By the time students reach secondary school, reading demands escalate – texts become longer and more complex, instructions more intricate, vocabulary more specialized, and assessments increasingly rely on independent reading and written responses. Students with undiagnosed reading difficulties may experience a gradual erosion of academic performance, self-confidence, and engagement.

Faizanah emphasizes that the solution extends beyond placing struggling students in remedial reading classes. Malaysia must establish a comprehensive identification–intervention–referral pathway throughout primary and secondary education. Students displaying persistent reading difficulties should undergo targeted intervention, with progress meticulously monitored. When difficulties persist despite appropriate support, a clear pathway for further assessment should be established.

Screening tools serve as valuable indicators, guiding educators to consider further investigation for students requiring additional attention. However, screening should not serve as a diagnostic tool alone. Teachers play a pivotal role in identifying students whose patterns of difficulty warrant closer scrutiny and potential referral for assessment.

For Faizanah, the turning point for the six-year-old girl came when she shifted her focus from the label "lazy" to understanding and addressing the girl's specific challenges. The key lesson? Recognizing that some reading difficulties may require early, targeted intervention, and a clear route to appropriate assessment and support.