Abolition of UPSR and PMR Exams

A new form of student assessment, the National Educational Assessment System (NEAS), is expected to replace the current Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examinations, as a way to evaluate students’ academic and non-academic performance. This is part of the governments move to create more holistic learners. The UPSR for Year Six pupils and the PMR for Form Three students are expected to be done away with after 2010 and 2015 respectively. So how will this change affect the students? The EWRF Editorial decided to find out.

Mr Mohan, a teacher in SMK Bangsar, says that the two current exams play an important role in monitoring students’ academic performance, which helps schools to stream students accordingly. Also, the exams actually prompt students to work hard. On the new assessment system to be implemented, he says that the system has to be tried and tested before any decisions are made.

According to Mr Raja Teeran, a parent and a part time STPM & SPM Tamil Literature teacher, a quality monitoring check should be in place to allow only the qualified students through to Form1 after UPSR. “Those students who drop out should be sent for vocational training in different fields. This will be very useful for the diversification of job sectors in the country”, says Raja Teeran. He also feels that some positive changes can still be made to improve the quality of the PMR exam. He does not really see a need to abolish the exams.

“I like exams,” says Baskaran, a Form One student from SMK Shah Bandaraya Kg. Jawa. Baskaran scored 7A’s for his UPSR. He perceives exams to be good avenues to help students feel motivated to study. “UPSR helps many Tamil School students to become well prepared for secondary school life, as students sit for 7 papers”, added Baskaran. He is not too sure on what to expect from the newly proposed assessment system as yet.

On the whole, at the moment, both the UPSR and PMR exams have important roles to play in the education system. The NEAS has a lot to prove before gaining the trust of the government and Rakyat. But, as they say, “Never judge a book by its cover”.

By Siddharthan Palanyandi

Editorial Officer, EWRF