UPSR to stay for the time being: Mahdzir

KOTA KINABALU: Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the existing Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) will continue to be held until an appropriate time for its replacement.

He said a study to identify a suitable system to replace the UPSR is still being carried out by getting feedback from interested parties, including parents.

“UPSR will continue to be held until we have discussed with all quarters involved. This engagement takes a long time as parents, professionals, unions, academicians have to discuss it together,” he said.

He was speaking after a visit to Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Gaya yesterday, to observe the holding of the UPSR examination, which began yesterday.

Mahdzir said the achievement report for this year’s Year 6 pupils would be made in a holistic manner, whereby it would not be based only on their academic performance or UPSR results, but also would take into account aspects such as co-curriculum, personality, sports and others under the School-based Assessment.

“So, the marks given to a pupil are not only in academics. We want to look at a pupil’s achievement holistically,” he said, adding it would benefit them when they want to pursue higher studies.

A total of 443,794 candidates are sitting for the UPSR examination nationwide, with about 44,000 in Sabah.

In NEGRI SEMBILAN, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Chong Sin Woon said 16,609 candidates sat for the UPSR in the state, including 10 who had to sit for the test in hospitals and 13 children with special needs.

“The candidate with special needs are given an additional 30 minutes to one hour depending on the papers they sit for,” he said.