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THE Ministry of Education is set to review whether the abolished UPSR and PT3 examinations should be reinstated, responding to continued calls from parents for the return of national-level assessments at primary and lower secondary levels.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the review would be conducted immediately by the National Education Advisory Council, which has been reactivated to study the matter before any recommendations are submitted to the Cabinet.
“We will review the issue of examinations because this remains a request from parents,” she said.
Fadhlina explained that all examinations currently at the centre of public debate would be examined in detail.
“Whatever examinations are being mentioned, or whatever is at the heart of public polemics, I will later ask Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad, the Director-General of Education, to provide detailed views,” she said.
She added that deliberations with members of the advisory council would include survey reports and findings, with the outcome ultimately presented to Cabinet for a decision.
“These discussions, together with survey reports and any findings, will be submitted to Cabinet for a final decision,” she said during a press conference after the Ministry of Education’s New Year Address on Friday.
UPSR was abolished in 2021, followed by the abolition of PT3 in 2022, with both examinations replaced by School-Based Assessment.
Fadhlina said the advisory council was reactivated this year due to its critical role in providing professional, education-focused views and ideas. She noted that the council would also serve as the ministry’s strategic think tank, particularly in addressing future challenges in the education sector.
In the same development, she said the ministry would continue to move forward this year by prioritising the needs and aspirations of the public and students, with the aim of strengthening the national education ecosystem.
“Overall, we will move in a more structured manner this year by prioritising the people’s needs and aspirations, and in turn delivering a direct impact on the entire education ecosystem,” she said. - January 9, 2025