Study: Malaysia has 3rd Highest English Proficiency in Asia Behind Singapore & Philippines

Malaysia’s English proficiency is among the highest in the world, particularly in Asia, according to the latest edition of the EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) survey.

The index surveyed and placed 113 non-native English-speaking countries into 5 proficiency bands from Very High to Very Low, with Malaysia categorised as the second highest tier of ‘High Proficiency’.

In terms of rankings, Malaysia has the 3rd highest English proficiency in Asia according to the survey, behind Singapore at first and the Philippines at second.

Globally, Malaysia places 25th in the index. As for the EF EPI 2023 City scores, only Kuala Lumpur made it to the list and similarly to the countries’ rankings, our nation’s capital is categorised as ‘High Proficiency’.

For reference, Malaysia scored 568 in the 2023 index, dropping 6 points from last year, while Kuala Lumpur scored 564. The global average is 502.

Interestingly, the 2023 EF EPI found that the top region with the highest English proficiency in Malaysia is Perak (587), while the top city is Kuantan (603). Meanwhile, the top age group in our country is 26-30 with an average score of 582.

Also read: PMX Wants Students’ Proficiency in English to Improve in 2024 Without Compromising the Mastery in BM