UPSR a hindrance for children’s growth, says ministry

PUTRAJAYA: The Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examinations in Year Six hinder students from being active in non-academic fields, according to findings by the Education Ministry.

This is why it should not be reintroduced at this point, stakeholders have told the ministry in engagement sessions.

Education director-general Datuk Pkharuddin Ghazali said the engagement sessions showed that Malaysians wanted values-based education.

“Pupils, parents and leaders were unanimous in stating that UPSR should not be revived as it would block primary school students’ ability to be active in other fields with a focus on academic progress,” he told reporters after the ministry’s Inspiration Talk programme here yesterday, Bernama reported.

He was commenting on Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek’s statement on Oct 28 that UPSR would not be revived, even after requests from parents who want it reintroduced.

The exam was abolished in 2021 after engagement sessions with various stakeholders. It had earlier been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pkharuddin said the ministry felt the “Anak Yang Baik lagi Cerdik” (ABC) concept was far more important in developing a generation capable of dealing with the challenges of a borderless world.

The concept is meant to create knowledgeable human capital with good moral values, and will include character building in the early stages of a child’s schooling period.

“We are not saying exams are not good, but at this point, character building and instilling values in students are more of a priority.

“In a world without borders, they learn so quickly from handheld gadgets, but there is no value in them,” he said, adding that students should be exposed to other activities like sports, robotics and cultural competitions.