Sarawak’s proposed Primary 6 standard assessment expected to begin with dual language programme in 2025, says Sagah

KUCHING (Nov 27): The proposed standard assessment for Primary 6 in Sarawak is expected to start in 2025 focusing on dual language programme (DLP) subjects, said Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn.

The Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister said the DLP subjects are Science, Mathematics, and English language, but pointed out it is still premature to reveal more details about the assessment as deliberations are still ongoing.

The assessment will also be expanded to include Form 3 students in the future, he said.

“Such an assessment is vital as it will serve as a means to gauge the effectiveness of the DLP, alongside other initiatives which we have put in place to increase the uptake of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in schools,” he said in his winding-up speech for his ministry in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) today.

According to Sagah, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and other federal counterparts have reacted positively to the state’s proposed standard assessment for Primary 6 and Form 3.

He said 606 teachers have been trained under the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English programme this year, in addition to the 5,200 teachers who were trained previously.

“Additionally, 1,700 non-option Science, Mathematics and English teachers have also been trained under the continuous professional development (CPD),” he said.

Sagah added the Singapore International Foundation is collaborating with his ministry to implement a Mathematics Pedagogical Learning, Understanding and Support (PLUS) programme.

This is a four-year collaboration involving 50 primary schools in Sarawak.

The federal government abolished the Form 3 Assessment (PT3) in June 2022, after it was not carried out in 2021 and 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, while the Primary 6 Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) was scrapped in 2021.