KUCHING: Amid renewed discussions on bringing back the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has raised concerns over learning standards.
He stressed that parents must look beyond pass rates to ensure children genuinely understand what they are taught.
He pointed out that the current system places students under a pass-or-fail structure from Primary Six through secondary levels, which could affect learning quality if not properly monitored.
“UPSR was previously removed and it is now being considered for reinstatement. This has caused confusion not only among teachers, but also parents and students.
“There are no examinations now from Primary Six up to Form Five — just pass or fail. When students enter the workforce later, some may not even be able to write a proper essay,” he said.
He said this during a townhall session with the Premier on Tuesday night (Jan 13) at the Hikmah Exchange Event and Convention Centre.
Reflecting on his own schooling experience, Abang Johari said academic rigour was crucial in ensuring genuine learning.
He recalled that during his Primary Six years, only about 10 out of 80 pupils passed the year-end examination.
“That did not mean the system was weak, but it meant quality mattered. You cannot assess the quality of our children simply by whether they pass. Parents must evaluate whether their children truly understand what they are taught,” he said.
Abang Johari stressed that parents and teachers must work together to ensure learning outcomes are not compromised, regardless of whether UPSR is reinstated.
He said Sarawak has adopted its own approach through the Dual Language Programme (DLP), including the Unified Level Dual Language Programme (UL-DLP) assessment, to gauge how well primary school students learn Science and Mathematics in English.
The UL-DLP assessment is a standardised test for Year Six pupils in participating schools, evaluating Science, Mathematics and English taught in English, with examination papers vetted by Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUPA) to ensure international standards.
“Any education reform must prioritise meaningful learning and the ability of students to apply knowledge, rather than focusing solely on a pass-or-fail structure,” he said.
The MoE has reactivated the National Education Advisory Council to conduct a comprehensive study on the possible reinstatement of both UPSR and the Pentaksiran Tingkatan Tiga (PT3) examinations.
Both exams were abolished in 2021 and 2022 respectively and replaced with School-Based Assessment.
