Schoolchildren will not face exam stress if the proposal to change the assessment format of the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) to that like Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) is implemented.

National Parents-Teachers' Association president, Associate Professor Datuk Mohamad Ali Hassan said the change would enable schoolchildren to gain education and skills in a more comprehensive manner, and not be focused on just the examination.

"Since the PT3 began several years ago and education industry practitioners having seen the positive impact and satisfactory outcome, I feel it is valid that the format of the UPSR is changed.

"It is the objective of educational institutions to produce students who are holistic and not just be stressed by examinations, especially at the end of the year," he told Bernama Friday.

He was commenting on the proposal to change the format of the UPSR to an assessment like the PT3 and Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid has reportedly said that the matter is being discussed.

Describing the format change as very relevant to the current education situation, Mohamad Ali said the preparedness of the teaching force must also be taken into consideration before it is fully implemented.

"I feel that teachers must be given retraining, either during the school holidays or their free time, as preparation. There must also be sufficient teaching and learning assessment materials.

"These must be done from the lower levels, and could start with Standard One, before it goes on to the next stage, so that it is not sudden," he said, adding that the format change could be implemented in two more years if everything is in place.

Similarly, the President of the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) Kamarozaman Abd Razak said the format change would help students and teachers become calmer and less stressed over exams.

However, he said, a study should be conducted to determine if the UPSR assessment format change should have more emphasis on skills or exams. -- BERNAMA