THE proposal to reinstate the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Pentaksiran Tingkatan Tiga (PT3) has sparked renewed discussion among educators and parents, following differing views from the federal and Sarawak governments.
While the Education Ministry has said the matter will be studied by the National Education Advisory Council before any decision is made, Education, Innovation and Talent Development Deputy Minister Dr Annuar Rapaee has called for the immediate reinstatement of the two public examinations, citing positive outcomes from Sarawak’s standardised assessment under the Dual Language Programme.
To gauge public sentiment, several parents were asked for their views on the relevance of public examinations, their impact on student discipline and academic focus, and whether standardised assessments are still necessary to measure students’ progress at an early stage of schooling.
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MOHD AMIRUL FAHMI, 34
Business owner
“As a parent, I strongly support the reinstatement of UPSR and PT3 because we need a clear system to assess our children’s academic progress. With proper examinations, children tend to take their studies more seriously, especially when they understand the importance of scores and performance. If the Malaysian Certificate of Education is the only benchmark, many students may not feel the need to work hard from an early stage, thinking it is still far away. Early assessments help instil discipline and seriousness in learning from the beginning of their schooling years.
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HAFEEZAN ABD RANI JEMAN, 39,
Public assistant
I support the return of UPSR and PT3, provided the implementation is balanced and does not place excessive pressure on students. These examinations should serve as one of the assessment tools, not just a race for results, but a structured way to measure students’ academic progress.
UPSR and PT3 are important benchmarks that allow parents and teachers to evaluate students’ basic mastery, especially in core skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic. They also help identify weaknesses early so support can be provided before students move to higher levels. At the same time, these examinations teach discipline, responsibility and time management, which are essential skills before facing major examinations like SPM. However, the approach should remain holistic and consider students’ emotional wellbeing, not results alone.
VANESSA AULIEYA EMPATIE, 26
Private sector employee
I think UPSR and PT3 are still relevant because they give parents a clearer picture of how well their children are performing academically. Without standardised examinations, it is difficult to compare progress or know whether a child is really coping with the syllabus. However, the system should not be too rigid or stressful. Examinations should guide learning and improvement, not create fear or pressure among students.
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ZAFRAN SARIPUDIN, 35
Private sector employee
I support bringing back UPSR and PT3 because they provide structure and direction in the education system. Examinations encourage students to set goals and take responsibility for their studies. At the same time, the focus should not be solely on results. Schools and parents should work together to ensure students learn meaningfully and not just study to pass exams.
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SITI ZAFIRAH AHMAD ZAKI, 33
Housewife
As a parent, I believe public examinations like UPSR and PT3 help build discipline and consistency in learning. They motivate students to study regularly and not leave everything until major exams like SPM. However, the assessment system should be fair and balanced, taking into account different learning abilities so that students are not overwhelmed.
