Gender Representation in Malaysian Textbooks and Assessment: A Bibliometric Analysis

Gender equality remains central to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Despite Malaysia’s progress in narrowing its gender gap as reflected in the Malaysia Gender Gap Index (MGGI), issues of gender stereotyping and bias persist in various social spheres, including education. Textbooks and assessments are critical components of the educational process, shaping learners’ knowledge, values, and perceptions of social roles. However, these materials have long been critiqued for perpetuating unequal gender portrayals. This study employs a bibliometric analysis to examine research activities related to gender representation in textbooks and assessments, with a specific focus on the Malaysian context. Using the Scopus database, two separate queries were conducted: one on textbooks and another on assessments (2015–2020). Inclusion criteria were limited to English-language journal articles, reviews, and conference papers, while editorials and non-education contexts were excluded. Data were analysed using bibliometrix (R) and VOSviewer to identify publication trends, keyword co-occurrence, co-authorship networks, and thematic clusters. The findings revealed that while 589 articles were identified on textbooks, only a small proportion addressed gender issues, with Malaysian-based studies remaining limited. Notably, most research efforts concentrated on curriculum content, text analysis, student development, and cultural representation, with minimal attention given to gender stereotypes. 160 articles were retrieved for assessment analysis.  Only five articles explicitly explored gender but none provided Malaysian perspectives. This review highlights a profound research gap in understanding how both textbooks and high-stakes assessments in Malaysia represent gender. It can be concluded that future research should expand assessments and textbooks utilised in Malaysian vernacular and private schools to address hidden gender inequalities. Such efforts are pertinent to determine gender-equitable education that aligned with the SDGs.