 (File pix) The complete assessment for Year Six pupils which will include the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and three other non-academic components, was first introduced last year. Pix by Ahmad Irham Mohd Noor |
NILAI: The complete assessment for Year Six pupils which will include the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and three other non-academic components, was first introduced last year.
Deputy Education Minister II Senator Datuk Chong Sin Woon said the assessment, called the Primary School Assessment Report (PSAR) or Pelaporan Pentaksiran Sekolah Rendah is nothing new, as the previous batch of UPSR students were the first group to be evaluated based on the assessment.
“Last year, the UPSR result was presented in two different slips, with the first slip containing the academic result, while the second slip showed the result of the assessment.
“It seemed that majority of the parents were more focused on the number of As rather than on the overall assessment, which is equally important. While the assessment is not new, but the way the result will be presented tomorrow will be different, as the academic result and the non-academic components will all be encompassed in a single slip,” he said.
Chong was commenting on the dissatisfaction raised by majority of parents, who had questioned why the decision on the new PSAR was not announced earlier.
Education director-general Datuk Dr Amin Senin yesterday revealed the major shift, which will see the Year Six pupils receiving a total of four reports in their UPSR results, to be announced tomorrow.
The result will not only focus on the academic component, but on other areas such as sports, physical and curriculum activities assessment; classroom assessment and psychometric assessment will also be taken into account for their selection into fully residential schools.
“We want to get away from the examination-oriented education system. We understand that it will take some time for the parents, students and schools to familiarise themselves with the new system, but it has to start somewhere.
“Even other countries including Japan and Taiwan, also faced the same issues when they tried to make changes from the examination-based education system to comprehensive assessments,” said Chong after he launched the Excellent Awards ceremony at SK Taman Semarak Nilai here today.
“The acceptance will take a long time because we have been accustomed to the old system for so long. Such changes will take between five and seven years, before we can see the result.
“We need to create the awareness that it’s no longer about how many As can the students score, but we need to also emphasise on their achievements in other areas,” he added.
Chong also said the changes will also relinquish schools and teachers from the stress to ensure that schools achieve specific examination results, as previously, 70 percent of school grades were based on examination results.
"Now teachers can focus more on the student's achievement. It will also provide the opportunity for parents to recognise their children’s potential better with the comprehensive assesement," he said.
On the suggestion made by Education Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, who had advised all parties to refrain from celebrating outstanding students in special events, Chong said the advice should be viewed in the right context.
"It's not wrong to celebrate the excellent students because it can boost their spirits, but with the latest trend which saw these events even being held at hotels, I think it will only put pressure on the teachers to organise the event, and parents too have to bear the cost between RM100 and RM150,” he said.