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The conversation around Malaysia’s education system has heated up once again, and honestly, are we even surprised? Every few years, the pendulum swings between “bring back exams” and “let kids learn holistically.” This time, the spark came from two former Education Ministers, Dr Maszlee Malik and Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, who suggested that the UPSR should be reinstated.
Their argument? A national exam helps measure academic progress, instils discipline, and shapes students’ character. In other words: structure, accountability, and benchmarks.
But the current Education Director-General, Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad, couldn’t disagree more. And he didn’t mince his words either.
According to him, going back to exam-heavy schooling would be like rewinding the system to a time when memorising textbooks mattered more than actual understanding. He warned that overreliance on exams would produce a “generation of parrots” , students who can repeat facts perfectly but have no clue how to apply them in real life.
Is it true or not, exam create ‘Parrots’ students?
Exams vs. Holistic Growth: The Eternal Tug-of-War
Malaysia abolished UPSR back in 2021 to reduce pressure on young students and encourage more meaningful learning. PT3 followed the same fate in 2022. Since then, the big focus has been School-Based Assessments, which consider not just academics, but co-curricular involvement, psychometrics, and classroom participation.
This aligns with what the DG emphasised, that the world now demands more than high test scores. We need students with values, resilience, communication skills, and the ability to face challenges in a world “surrounded by robots,” as he put it.
If AI can memorise everything in seconds, is human memorisation still the flex it used to be?
Is an Exam-Free System Better? Depends on Who You Ask.
Parents who grew up with the old system often see exams as a fair, transparent benchmark: you study, you sit for the test, and the results speak for themselves.
But teachers? Many of them breathed a sigh of relief when UPSR was removed. Less pressure to chase grades means more space for real teaching, creativity, and student engagement. The DG also highlighted how exams sometimes push teachers into spoon-feeding just to boost school rankings , something that doesn’t really help kids grow beyond academics.
So… What’s the Right Balance?
Maybe the question isn’t “exams or no exams,” but how much is too much?
A single national assessment between Year 1 and Form 4, as suggested by Mahdzir, might not sound like a bad compromise. But bringing back UPSR entirely would feel like undoing the effort to reduce stress and cultivate more well-rounded students. Do you agree?
One thing’s clear: Malaysia is still searching for the sweet spot between structure and flexibility.
My Take
The DG’s “parrot” analogy may sound harsh, but it reflects a genuine concern. Students today don’t just need to recall information, they need to think, question, analyse, and adapt.
Still, a fully exam-free system might become too subjective if not executed carefully, especially with inconsistencies across schools.
Maybe the future lies in a hybrid approach:
✔ predictable benchmarks
✔ less pressure
✔ more hands-on learning
✔ more focus on character and skills
✔ fewer sleepless nights over one test paper
Whatever the outcome, the debate shows one thing: education isn’t just about grades — it’s about shaping a generation that’s ready for a rapidly changing world.
What say you?
Badrulamin Luthfi (mobamil96@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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