PBS will allow students to study in conducive conditions, develop self skills

IPOH: The new learning method under the School-Based Assessment (PBS) that will replace the Form Three Assessment (PT3) will enable students to study in a conducive environment and develop their skills, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr. Mah Hang Soon said.

He said every student has self skills that needed to be developed.

"I believe the abolition of PT3 will enable students to learn in a happy environment as well as be able to comply with the philosophy of developing self skills.

"It is certain that with whatever educational system applied, nothing will be perfect so we do not want them (students) to be focused on being exam-orientated," he told reporters after officiating the Barisan Nasional (BN) Ipoh Barat Coordinating Centre at Wisma Ehsan here today.

Mah, who is also MCA chief coordinator, said the assessment will be based on three components -- Classroom Assessment (PBD), Physical Activity, Sports and Co-curriculum Assessment (PAJSK) and Psychometric Assessment (PPsi), that will give a clear indication of the students' strengths and weaknesses.

"What is important is how we want to instil good values based on the three components among students. The school needs to hold more information sessions for parents for them to have a better understanding too," he said.

Mah added that several parties, including the National Union of Teaching Professions of Peninsular Malaysia (NUTP), should help ensure that the PBS is free from elements of bias, favouritism and fraud.

NUTP president Aminuddin Awang was reported to have said that such a perception would exist because PBS no longer evaluates based on examination results alone but instead evaluates the level of students' efforts, reviews of class teachers and subject teachers as well as any intervention, thus avoiding teachers' bias and parental pressure.

On June 2, Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin announced that the PT3 examination introduced in 2014 was abolished starting this year after the exams were not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- BERNAMA