The overall results of the 2015 Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) improved when students obtaining the A Grade for all subjects increased to 38,344 compared with the achievement for the 2014 UPSR.

Director-General of Education Datuk Seri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof said 443,407 candidates sat for the UPSR this year and those scoring A Grade for all subjects increased by 0.76 per cent from 7.89 per cent in 2014 to 8.65 per cent this year.

Last year, 36,304 of the total of 460,407 candidates obtained the A Grade for all subjects.

"The achievement of the UPSR National Average Grade (GPN) increased by 0.02 point, that is from 2.29 GPN in 2014 to 2.27 this year. The smaller GPN value indicated a better achievement by the candidates," he said when announcing the analysis of the 2015 UPSR results at the Education Ministry, here today.

Khair said 255,801 students achieved satisfactory results (minimum Grade C to Grade A) suffered a drop by 1.34 per cent from 59.03 per cent in 2014 to 57.69 per cent this year.

A total of 11,792 students achieved below the minimum level for all subjects (all Grade D or Grade E or a combination of both grades) a 0.21 per cent drop to 2.66 per cent this year from 2.87 per cent in 2014, he said.

"The percentage of candidates achieving below minimum level is the lowest in four years," he added.

Khair said a total of seven papers recorded better performance and five papers showed a decline in performance based on the Average Subject Grade (GPMP), as compared to 2014.

The seven papers which recorded improved performance were Malay Language (Written) in National Schools (SK) and National-Type Schools (SJK), Malay Language (Comprehension) in SK, Mathematics, Science, Tamil Language (Comprehension), Tamil Language (Written), he said.

The five papers which showed a decline in GPMP were Malay Language (Comprehension) in SJK, English language in SK and SJK, Chinese Language (Comprehension) and Chinese language (Written), he said.

"A smaller GPMP value means better performance in the subject," he said.

According to Khair, 1,991 candidates with special needs (CBK) sat for the UPSR this year and those who scored Excellent achievement increased by 0.30 per cent or 22 candidates this year, compared to 16 last year.

"They comprise six visually impaired candidates, one mentally challenged, two deaf, and 13 candidates with other disabilities," he said.

Khair said the percentage of students who achieved Excellent results in urban and rural areas increased to 0.88 percent and 0.62 percent respectively thus resulting in an achievement gap of 0.26.

He said: "The achievement of urban candidates this year was the same as last year with a grade point average of 2.21 while rural candidates showed an increase of 0.04 or 2.34 points, compared to 2.38 points in 2014.