There were concerns the diagnostic test could lead to a discriminative view, where some children might be deemed unfit for Year One and redirected to pre-school, potentially creating negative psychological impacts
PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government has decided to do away with the proposed “diagnostic” eligibility test for children entering Year One, following concerns that the assessment could be discriminatory and have psychological effects on young learners.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat today, Anwar said the original intention behind the diagnostic test was well-meaning, as it aimed to provide a basic evaluation system to determine whether a child was ready to enter Year One or should be given an additional year of preparation.
“However, after further review, the Education Ministry proposed that the diagnostic test be abolished.
“While the initial rationale was sound, there were concerns it could lead to a discriminative view, where some children might be deemed unfit for Year One and redirected to pre-school, potentially creating negative psychological impacts,” he said.
Anwar said he agreed with calls to remove the assessment in order to simplify the process and avoid labelling children at an early age.
“As such, I agree that the diagnostic test should be abolished,” he said.
Nevertheless, Anwar stressed that monitoring a child’s readiness remains a shared responsibility between teachers and parents, even without a formal diagnostic test.
He said the introduction of pre-school as a preparatory stage offers a prudent and flexible approach, as it allows a full year for observation and assessment of a child’s development before entering Year One.
On student assessments at later stages, Anwar said limited evaluations at Year Four would be retained to help schools identify learning gaps early and allow sufficient time for intervention before students enter secondary school.
“A small assessment system at Year Four gives us two years to make improvements before students move on to Form One,” he said.
Anwar acknowledged that education reforms often invite controversy.
“That is the nature of reform. If we test at Year Three, it is criticised; at Year Four, it is criticised; at Year Six, it is criticised; and if we do not test at all, it is also criticised,” he said.
He stressed that education policy must remain dynamic, with continuous evaluation and refinement, and urged parents and the public to give the government space to implement and assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
“At this early stage, this is the proposal, and I hope parents and society will allow us the opportunity to implement it as best as possible,” he said.
