Primary schools not using GPS this year
It does not develop pupils holistically, says education director-general
THE Education D-G says the School Average Grade ‘does not have a positive impact, as it boils down to how many As a student gets’.
FROM this year onwards, the School Average Grade (GPS) will no longer be used to assess performance in primary schools as it does not contribute to holistic development.
Education director-general Datuk Dr Amin Senin said this was to ensure the effectiveness of school-based assessment under the Primary School Assessment Report (PPSR).
He said GPS, which had been in use for a long time, must not become an assessment tool for a school’s or pupil’s performance.
“With GPS, there will be comparisons at state, district and school levels, to the extent that we forget that every pupil has his own uniqueness and ability.
“GPS does not have a positive impact, as it all boils down to how many As a pupil scores.
“It must not be used to compare schools and students. This is not the way. It is not right.
“This is why I have asked that GPS not be used any longer in primary schools as the focus should not be on exams, but the forging of values and character.
“However, in secondary schools, especially in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, it can be used as there is streaming,” he said after launching the Pembangunan Modul Inspirasi Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia (YaPEIM) workshop here yesterday.
He said primary school pupils should be taught holistically based on the four components under PPSR — academic, psychometric, sports and co-curriculum, and classroom assessment — and not be made to focus solely on academic achievement.