The issue of the reinstatement of the UPSR (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah) and PT3 (Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3) exams is in the news again. After the abolition of these two exams in 2021 and 2022, respectively, the question of whether to bring back exam-based assessments is still being hotly debated.Having been in the school administration division for a number of years, I can vouch for the effectiveness of exams in improving the quality of education.
Our exam-based system has produced great statesmen, lawyers, doctors and engineers. We don’t need to waste billions of ringgit to replicate whatever school-based syllabus some faraway land is using and force it on our teachers and children.
For school-based assessments to be effective, each class should have no more than 12 students, because our teachers, who are heavily burdened with paperwork and other duties, would not be able to do a good job otherwise.
Despite repeated reassurances by the relevant authorities, the issue of overworked teachers continues to plague us. Therefore, it is simply not possible to properly implement a school-based assessment system at this point in time.
Teachers, seasoned school administrators and parents know what’s best for their charges, and they want the UPSR and PT3 exams to be reinstated so that students will take their lessons, especially the English subject, seriously again.
Note: On Nov 11, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek told the Dewan Rakyat that despite calls to bring back the UPSR and PT3 exams, the ministry would not revert to the former assessment system. The Academic Session Final Test (UASA) would instead be enhanced. Introduced in 2022, UASA is a test given at the end of the academic year to strengthen classroom-based and school-based assessments.
THIAGAN MATHIAPARANAM
Klang
