PUTRAJAYA: Stakeholders were taken aback today after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that, beginning this year, all Year 4 students in government schools will have to sit for a new public assessment examination.
The announcement comes barely seven days into the new school term, adding to the sense of surprise surrounding the decision.
It also comes just 11 days after Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the ministry had activated the National Education Advisory Council to study the need to revive the Pentaksiran Tingkatan Tiga (PT3) for Form 3 students and the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) for Year 6 pupils.
Both examinations were abolished in 2021 and 2022 respectively, and replaced with school-based assessment. The outcome of the study was to be presented to the Cabinet, although it remains unclear whether any recommendations had been made before Anwar’s announcement today.
Speaking at the launch of the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2026–2035 in Putrajaya, Anwar said the new Year 4 examination, administered by the Malaysian Examination Syndicate, will see students sitting for Bahasa Melayu, English, Mathematics and Science.
Form 3 students, meanwhile, will sit for Bahasa Melayu, English, Mathematics, Science and History beginning in 2027.
“There is no need to wait until Standard 6 before students sit for an examination. Teachers, be reminded, the Year 4 examination will begin this year,” Anwar said.
“I know the Education Ministry is feeling anxious about the announcement from the prime minister. That is because I know the ministry is efficient and is thinking of the future,” he added, drawing applause from the audience at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, including Fadhlina.
The new Year 4 examination, Anwar said, will allow early intervention and improvements to be made in Years 5 and 6 before students transition to secondary school.
Asked about the short notice, Anwar smiled and said: “It’s the PM’s fault.”
On the ground, teachers expressed confusion and uncertainty over the sudden announcement.
A teacher based in Port Dickson told Twentytwo13 she was puzzled by the prime minister’s decision to introduce the Year 4 examination.
“I didn’t see this coming at all,” said the 50-year-old teacher.
“Year 4 is an introductory year for upper primary. So how will they be assessed? Will they be examined on what they have learnt since Year 1, or only on what they learn in Year 4?” she asked.
Another teacher in Kuala Lumpur said parents had already begun asking questions about the new assessment.
“We do not have the answers as we are also in the dark,” he said.
“We hope the ministry will be clear about the format of the examinations, because teachers will need time to prepare ourselves for this new assessment.”
While acknowledging being “shocked” by the announcement, the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) said the Year 4 assessment was a good idea.
Speaking to Twentytwo13, NUTP secretary-general Fouzi Singon said the examination would help ensure pupils master literacy and numeracy skills.
“It is surely short notice, and we were not consulted. I am sure many, including the minister, may have been caught by surprise,” he said.
“But I do not think it is something major. The public may think children need to get straight As, but that is not the case. This assessment ensures the first phase of primary education – literacy and numeracy – is achieved as pupils move into upper primary and secondary school.”
Fouzi said the prime minister’s emphasis on literacy, numeracy and STEM subjects, including Mathematics and Science, would allow room for intervention where students fall behind.
“If many students obtain results below par in a subject, we can develop better teaching models and train teachers accordingly,” he said.
He added that parents should not be worried, describing the Year 4 examination as diagnostic rather than high-stakes, unlike the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).
The assessment would also help teachers and parents gauge a child’s progress and give students a sense of purpose.
“There have been cases of students saying they do not want to go to school or study because there are no examinations. Now they will know where they stand and plan their future better,” he said.
However, Fouzi cautioned against comparing results between schools, districts or states.
“This should not become a competition over who performs better,” he said.
Anwar also announced that beginning in 2027, the enrolment age for Year 1 will be lowered to six, with pre-school starting at age five. For the first year, parents may opt to enrol their children in Year 1 at age seven.
Fouzi warned of possible challenges, particularly the shortage of teachers and classrooms.
“Do we have enough classrooms? Some schools in the Klang Valley already have 2,000 students,” he said.
He also noted that schools could face two cohorts of Year 1 pupils – those aged six and seven – including children who did not attend pre-school.
During the event, Anwar said students from international and religious schools, as well as those sitting for the Unified Examination Certificate, must sit for Bahasa Melayu and History benchmarked against SPM standards.
While stressing the importance of Bahasa Melayu, Anwar said greater emphasis would also be placed on mastery of the English language.
Fouzi agreed, saying communication skills must be prioritised alongside grammar and vocabulary, and highlighted the need for more qualified English teachers, particularly in rural areas.