UPSR and PT3 can help students better navigate future challenges

LETTERS: As a mother of two children currently in Year 1 and Year 4, I strongly support the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's suggestion to reinstate the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Form Three Assessment (PT3) examinations.

Since the abolition of these exams in 2021, we were told that that students, particularly those in Year 6 and Form 3, have lost motivation and dedication to their studies. Attendance has also declined.

This deeply concerns me as a parent who always hopes for the best for the children's development and future.

There are no longer clear targets for students to aim for, nor significant motivators such as exams that serve as milestones before transitioning into adulthood.

I remember from my school days that Year 5 and Form 1 were considered a 'honeymoon period'. However, upon entering Year 6 and Form 3, the environment changed dramatically.

Teachers, students, and parents worked together to ensure thorough preparation for the exams. Regardless of whether one lives in an urban or rural area, our parents took education very seriously.

When I entered Year 5, my mother made sure I had reference books and additional exercises for UPSR preparation. In Form 3, teachers often provided practice papers from high-achieving schools such as Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM), Science schools, and technical schools for extra practice.

Additional classes after school and on weekends were common. The atmosphere then was filled with a strong spirit of learning, as if everyone was preparing for a major mission.

Unfortunately, our children today seem to have lost this valuable experience. For the record, my birthplace, Terengganu, has consistently achieved top positions in UPSR, Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR)/PT3, and Sijil Persekolahan Malaysia (SPM) results.

Since the abolition of UPSR and PT3, I feel there is no longer a clear measure to assess my children's progress. Although PBD (Assessment for Learning) has replaced exams, using assessment levels TP1 to TP6 does not provide the same insight as major exams.

It can sometimes be quite confusing. There is talk that large-scale exams were abolished to follow the approach of advanced countries. Which countries are these?

In the UK, primary school children still undergo Standardised Assessment Tests (SATs) in Year 6.

At the secondary level, there have been GSCE O & A levels since 1858. Although the syllabus has evolved over time, the level of the exam has never been abolished.

Therefore, without examination-based assessments, I worry that our students might fall behind, become less competitive and unprepared for major exams later on, such as SPM and university entrance exams.

I strongly agree with the DPM's statement that education policies should remain consistent even when the government changed hands when he said:

"Do not use our children as experimental subjects and make them victims... let the government change, but the education policies must be maintained so that our children do not become victims."

NIK SURYANI MEGAT DERAMAN

Universiti Utara Malaysia