‘Holistic growth better than As’
COMMENDABLE RESULTS: This year’s UPSR focuses on critical thinking, says Mahdzir
PARENTS were advised that the holistic development of children outweighs the number of As they get in exams.
Despite the sharp drop in the number of straight A achievers in this year’s Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination, the overall results were commendable.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said this year’s UPSR could not be compared to past results because the current system focused on critical thinking instead of rote memory.
“This year’s batch is the first to sit the UPSR through the Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah and school-based assessment,” he said during his visit to SK Bukit Rahman Putra here yesterday.
“The teaching and learning process has changed with the higherorder thinking skills and the 21st Education Minister speaking to top Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah achievers at SK Bukit Rahman Putra in Sungai Buloh yesterday. Bernama pic
century classroom.
“We can be proud of our students’ achievements. Even so, there are some areas, especially Science and Mathematics, that need to be improved.”
On concerns among parents on the selection of top achievers to fully residential schools and Mara Junior Science Colleges, Mahdzir said that was primarily the reason why he proposed the UPSR to be abolished.
“If it was up to me, I would do away with UPSR and replace it with placement tests for Mara colleges or boarding schools.”
Meanwhile, Examination Board deputy director Johara Abdul Wahab
said parents should look at students’ achievements holistically, including psychometrics, cocurriculum and other methods of assessment.
“This year’s UPSR focuses more on creativity and the ability to think. We no longer focus on multichoice questions, but on structured and open-ended questions.”
The examination divided the English subject into comprehension and writing, making the total number of papers six instead of the previous five.
SK Bukit Rahman Putra, a Cluster School of Excellence for Science and football, had 11 pupils who achieved straight As.