by S BIRRUNTHA / pic MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

THE abolition of the Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) and the Form Three Assessment (PT3) is to ensure that school-based assessment (PBS) can be implemented effectively.

Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (picture) said PBS has been implemented since 2011. However, many teachers are still too focused on examinations to make sure students accomplish excellent results.

“This assessment has been in the system for more than 10 years. If we do not continue with it now, then maybe 30 to 40 years from now we still will not be ready to do it,” he said during the launch of Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025 forum in Kuala Lumpur today.

Commenting further, the minister noted that the abolition of UPSR and PT3 is also to ensure that teachers can implement Teaching and Learning in a more creative and innovative way to ensure a more enjoyable learning environment.

He added that it is also to reduce the burden and stress faced by students while sitting for national examinations.

“The transformation was analysed comprehensively before the implementation.

“Our aim is to train teachers to be more creative and interactive by implementing digitisation tools,” he said.

Meanwhile, Radzi also noted that going forward, the Ministry of Education (MoE) will speed up all initiatives under the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025.

“We are always looking for a new and better way to approach and implement initiatives under the blueprint,” he added.

The Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025 forum organised by the Education Implementation and Performance Unit (PADU), is themed “A Collective Experience, Our Responsibility”.

It was the result of MoE’s collaboration through PADU, together with its strategic partners Google for Education, Apple Malaysia, Digi.Com Bhd, Microsoft Malaysia, Malaysia Digital Economy Corp and the Health Ministry.

The forum was also attended by Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, the top management of MoE, teachers and educators, invitees from the private sector, as well as education-related unions.

The main objective of the forum was to create a platform for sharing ideas related to the current situation in the education sector, discussing the latest direction to improve the quality of national education that is people-oriented and to recognise the concept of “access in education”.  

Additionally, the forum also aimed to provide opportunities in terms of strategic collaboration between government agencies, public and private sectors to realise a thorough implementation of education transformation in general.