UPSR: Introduce a trial period before implementing new format - GPMS

The new format of the Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) should undergo a trial period before its implementation, said Kedah’s Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) leader.

Its chairman Shamsul Bahar Abd Rani is worried that students especially in Year 5 will be put under tremendous amount of stress after finding out the format practiced since five years ago would be deemed invalid next year.

“Teachers too will feel the pressure,” he said, when contacted by Astro AWANI, today.

“The students have prepared themselves for next year’s UPSR with “old” format and I hope the students can undergo a trial before sitting for the UPSR, next year,” he said, when asked to comment on the Examination Board’s decision to introduce a new format for UPSR starting 2016.

The new format starting next year will introduce a new grading system for English comprehension and assessment tests, which will be divided into two grades.

“I’m afraid the rural students will not fare well in the new grading system,” he added.

The Education Ministry, said Shamsul need to gauge the level of readiness among teachers, especially those in the rural areas to execute the new format in achieving its main target.

“There will be more subjects introduced in next year’s UPSR and not just for students but teachers too need to buck up. This also involves parents and the communities,” said Shamsul.

Shamsul, who believed that the aim is to improve English proficiency among students can be obtained through daily conversation, views the introduction of the new format as a way to surge forward in improving national education system.

He however, hopes this decision was not made hastily and would be a long term endeavor.

The Education Ministry today said it continue with its decision to split the UPSR English examination paper into comprehension and assessment starting next year despite calls from National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) to defer the implementation.