PUTRAJAYA, Sept 23 – The decision to revive the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Pentaksiran Tingkatan Tiga (PT3) examinations must be made holistically and not based on just a single aspect, said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
She said that for now the Ministry of Education (MOE) stands by its decision to abolish the two examinations.
“Our children are not lab rats. We need a resolution and we have made a reaffirmation to strengthen classroom-based assessment (PBD) and training for teachers to ensure that nothing will affect their (students’) progress,” she told reporters after the MOE’s monthly assembly on Monday.
She said this in response to calls from certain quarters urging the MOE to revive UPSR and PT3, which were abolished in 2022, claiming that their absence has partly contributed to students dropping out and not sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
According to Fadhlina, the MOE is currently focusing on the new approach for the 2027 school curriculum and is in the midst of drafting a new education development plan to guide the country’s education for the next 10 years, starting in 2026.
Meanwhile, the MOE, in a statement today said it has proactively implemented various initiatives to address the issue of students failing to sit for the SPM examination, attributing this problem to three main factors, namely school dropout, expulsion, and opting to work.
