Educators welcome review of UPSR, PT3 reintroduction

KOTA KINABALU (Jan 15): The Education Ministry’s move to reactive the National Education Advisory Council to review the possible reintroduction of Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) and Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) has been welcomed by various parties, including experienced educators.

Former excellent headmaster Yazid Mohd Hasnan Tawik @ Charles said the review is timely and appropriate in addressing the current needs of the national education system, particularly in evaluating the effectiveness of existing assessment mechanisms.

He noted that the earlier abolition of UPSR and PT3 had drawn mixed reactions from parents, teachers and the wider community, many of whom felt there was a need for a clearer and more standardised national benchmark to measure students’ academic achievement.

“While the School-Based Assessment (SBA) has its strengths, centralised examinations such as UPSR and PT3 can serve as important complements in evaluating students’ levels of mastery in a more objective manner,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

Yazid, a former school administrator, added that centralised examinations help ensure fairness in student assessment, particularly for schools in rural and remote areas that face limitations in resources and facilities.

In this regard, he expressed hope that the findings of the study, which will be presented to the Cabinet in due course, will take into account the views of all stakeholders, including experienced teachers, parents and education experts.

“Such an inclusive approach is crucial to ensure that the assessment system formulated is fair, balanced and effective for the future of our children,” he said.