A parents' group and a teachers' union have dismissed proposals to reintroduce major examinations for Year 6 and Form 3 students, akin to the previously scrapped UPSR and PT3 exams. The Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) described the proposal as regressive, arguing that it would encourage students to focus on rote learning in pursuit of high marks, rather than fostering a meaningful education.
PAGE chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said the examination system tends to neglect the less academically inclined students. It also only serves to raise the stress levels of teachers, parents and pupils, she added. “Bringing back major exams is not the answer. It will not reduce the number of students who don’t sit for SPM. It is not treating the disease, but rather the symptom".
She told FMT that the solution lies in offering increased support in reading, writing, and arithmetic to establish a strong foundation. This approach would cultivate independent, self-disciplined, and self-motivated learners who take initiative instead of relying on teachers. Similarly, the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) stated that the UPSR and PT3 exams are not effective methods for assessing a student's educational level and mastery of subjects.
NUTP secretary-general Fouzi Singon proposed that the education ministry create a comprehensive assessment that includes both classroom evaluations and end-of-year exams. He recommended implementing pre-and post-tests for reading, writing, and arithmetic (3Rs), as well as English, science, and mathematics. These assessments would measure a student's understanding both before and after instruction in a subject.
Fouzi said this would provide a more comprehensive gauge of a student’s understanding of key subjects. It will also identify strugglers at an earlier stage. “If every four or six months a summation of a student’s mastery in literacy and numeracy is presented, and at each level of learning the teachers present the results of their module’s implementation, we would be able to spot possible dropouts earlier".
In principle, the NUTP fully supports the education ministry, which is dedicated to providing the best for students, he stated. On Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi advocated for a revamp of the education policy, noting that the UPSR and PT3 exams have served as valuable benchmarks for assessing students' education levels prior to their SPM examination and further studies.
Majlis Amanah Rakyat chairman Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki agreed with Zahid’s idea to revive the UPSR exam, citing the need for a more centralized evaluation system to measure the academic level of students before they enter secondary school. Education minister Fadhlina Sidek said the Cabinet would discuss the matter.
Noor Azimah, however, disagreed with Asyraf on the need for a centralized major exam for students, saying tests administered at the end of each academic year already serve the purpose. She also pointed out that Mara already conducts adequate entrance assessments for students seeking admission to its junior science colleges (MRSM). “Mara should instead bring back to MRSMs the Dual Language Programme (DLP) which was abolished when Zahid became rural and regional development minister. If Mara cannot even do this for their students then it should not dream of achieving more than this”, she said.
