Year 6 pupils will no longer sit for UPSR starting this year.
Education Minister Datuk Radzi Jidin said there will be no major national examination for primary students who will undergo classroom-based assessments instead.
He said the decision was made following feedback from various quarters, including pupils, parents and teachers.
“We had sessions with headmasters who admitted the attention is only on UPSR subjects. Some said they had to ‘steal’ time from non-examination subjects to prepare the children,” said Radzi.
“Teachers said they were unable to be creative in their lessons while the pupils did not have enough room to explore other aspects of the education process.”
He added some parents felt UPSR, introduced in 1988, was important as they sent their children for additional classes or tuition from as early as Year One.
“Families feel pressured to prepare their children for UPSR. The children feel pressured sitting for the exam. It’s all about getting straight As and children who get all Bs are deemed not good enough.
“I’ve also asked the pupils during my rounds in schools about UPSR and the general feedback is that it is merely a means to get into boarding schools.”
He said the decision to abolish the examination was “huge” as this was a step to ensure children received a more wholesome education, allowing them to build on their creativity and character.
Radzi said classroom-based assessments will keep track of a child’s progress in school.
“It is easier for teachers to intervene and assist the child along the way.”
He said all students would get a report on their achievements.
Radzi also revealed that the Form 3 Assessment (PT3) will be cancelled this year.
WE TAKE ‘RAPE JOKE’ INCIDENT SERIOUSLY, SAYS EDUCATION MINISTER
Radzi stressed that the Education Ministry is investigating allegations by a student that a physical education teacher had made rape jokes in class.
“We take this seriously and we are investigating it internally. If there is a case, we will take stern action,” Radzi said.
KJ: ASTRAZENECA JAB ON FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS
The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will only be given to those who voluntarily want it and only to Kuala Lumpur and Selangor residents.
Khairy Jamaluddin, the coordinating minister of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, said the move was to address concerns from the public He added the vaccine would not be used in the mainstream immunisation programme.
“We will be offering the AstraZeneca vaccine at special PPV (vaccination dispensing centres) to the public on a voluntary first-come-first-served basis, ” Khairy said.
Malaysia received the first batch of 268,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine last week.
ANOTHER SELLER SLAPPED WITH RM50K COMPOUND FOR ‘OPERATING BEYOND 10PM’
A colek (a dish famous in Kelantan that resembles rojak) seller in Kota Bharu was fined RM50,000 for allegedly operating beyond 10pm.
This comes barely days after a burger seller was also fined RM50,000 for the same reason, causing an uproar among Malaysians.
Mohd Azizi Mohd Nor, 42, said police came to his stall in front of his house at 11.20pm on Monday and issued the compound without allowing him to explain himself.
Azizi claimed that the lights of his stall were switched off as he was done for the day and he was instead frying keropok (crackers) for his children who were still awake.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Shafien Mamat had reportedly said police will review the RM50,000 compound imposed on Azizi.
PM LAUNCHES COVID-19 GREEN ZONE COMMUNITY COMPETITION
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin launched the Covid-19 Green Zone Community Competition today.
The competition, divided into rural and urban areas, is to encourage communities to work together with the government in the battle against Covid-19 and to ensure their neighbourhoods are free from the coronavirus.
The government has set aside RM1.7 million for the competition. Each winner will receive RM50,000 worth of community development projects. There will be 34 winners (20 in rural areas and 14 in urban areas).
SARAWAK CIVIL SERVANTS TO GET RM500 FOR HARI RAYA, GAWAI
The Sarawak government will give RM500 to its civil servants for Hari Raya and Gawai celebrations.
The Sarawak Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement the payment is in appreciation of the “deeds and sacrifices of the state civil servants in shouldering the responsibility of providing services to the rakyat, especially when the state and country are going through a challenging period.”
PANDELELA HAPPY TO BE COMPETING AGAIN
Pandelela Rinong Pamg is aiming for a hattrick of Olympic medals, but for now, she is just happy to be competing in an international tournament.
The last international meet the national divers took part in was the July 2019 World Championships in South Korea.
Pandelela and nine other Malaysian divers – Cheong Jun Hoong, Leong Mun Yee, Wendy Ng, Nur Dhabitah Sabri, Chew Yiwei, Ooi Tze Liang, Syafiq Puteh, Jellson Jabillin and Hanis Nazirul Jaya Surya – are in Tokyo for the Diving World Cup (May 1-6).
