KUCHING: Sarawak’s education system is set to implement a new form of student assessment starting 2025.
The assessment is designed to gauge the academic performance of students earlier than the traditional national exams, which are typically held in Form 5.
“The committee responsible for this new initiative includes representatives from the Sarawak Ministry of Education, Swinburne University, and Sarawak State Education Department (JPNS),” said Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn.
He said this during a press conference at International Conference on Educational Research and Innovation 2024 (iCERI24) at Puteri Wing, Riverside Majestic Hotel today (Nov27).
“The aim is to create an external assessment system that evaluates students’ abilities in key subjects, such as Mathematics, Science, and Engineering, which are crucial for the state’s growing emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education.
He stressed that the exams will follow a structure similar to that of Malaysia’s existing school self-assessments, but the papers will be marked by Cambridge in the UK, ensuring an international standard.
He emphasised that the early assessments will allow educators, parents, and students to track academic progress.
“By evaluating students’ performance in key subjects before Form 5, the education system aims to provide better guidance for students in their academic and career paths,”
“This move aligns with the state’s target of achieving 60 percent STEM enrollment, with a focus on technical courses that are in high demand in Sarawak’s industries,
He added that the new assessment initiative is part of a broader effort to align education with the state’s economic and industrial needs, particularly in technical fields that require strong backgrounds in mathematics and science.
“The committee believes that the earlier intervention will help identify students’ strengths and weaknesses, ensuring they are better equipped for the job market in the future.
“This external assessment for Sarawak is not intended to replace the national exam but will serve as an additional measure to help assess the effectiveness of the education system and guide future educational policies,”he said.