LOOK AT LONG-TERM

UPSR: It aims to transform country to be on a par with developed nations, says Mahdzir

BENEFITS OF 'HOTS' FORMAT, PARENTS URGED

PARENTS are urged to look at the long-term benefits of the new Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) system that aims to elevate the country’s education level.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said as parents raise their grouses over the decline in the number of straight A pupils, they should look at the issue from a different perspective and see it as a transformation to push the country to be on a par with developed nations.

“We hope parents understand the transition of our education system to a higher level from an academic-based assessment system to a school-based one, which aims to strike a balance between the pupils’ academic and nonacademic performance.

“This system has long been adopted in developed countries such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as in Europe,” he said at the Kedah Umno Convention here yesterday.

The convention, attended by Umno divisional and grassroots leaders, was opened by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, who is also Kedah Umno liaison committee chairman.

On the entry requirements for boarding schools, Mahdzir said the ministry had decided to lower the requirement.

“This year, some 4,800 pupils scored 6As, while the number of pupils who scored the minimum requirement of 3As and 2Bs or 4As and 2Bs exceeded 40,000.”

As such, Mahdzir said, the requirement for entry into boarding schools would take into account the pupils’ psychometric assessment, sports and co-curriculum achievements, as well as attitude.

“So it does not mean that all straight A pupils will automatically get into boarding schools because from this year onwards, we will use a new selection mechanism.”

He denied claims that testing for higher order thinking skills (HOTS) in the new UPSR format was hastily done.

“The consultation on the need to change the UPSR format for national schools, SJKCs and SJKTs was held in 2010 between the ministry and teachers’ union, parent-teacher associations, non-governmental organisations and academicians.

“Stakeholders had agreed on the need to change the objectivebased questions format to writing and comprehension-based questions.

“Following that, the new format was implemented for Year One pupils in 2011, which means the pupils who sat the UPSR in 2016 are the first cohort of the new system.”