By Saiful Bahri Kamaruddin
Pix Ikhwan Hashim

BANGI, 3 October 2014 – The country’s education system is too heavily weighted to the final examinations and should be modified to a more comprehensive method of assessment that is not overly dependent on academic achievements.

Participants at the Bicara Persada forum on UPSR Exam Question Leaks: What Are The Manifestations at The National University Of Malaysia (UKM) here today agreed that Primary School Assessment Test (UPSR) only shows how prepared the pupils were for the exams without considering other aspects of their education.

They propose a more comprehensive school education so that parents, teachers and pupils are aware that fraud will only jeopardise the future of the children.

President of the National Consultative Council of Parent-Teachers Associations (PIBGN) Associate Prof Datuk Mohd Ali Hasan said there should be a lifelong education system that is not too focused on academic achievements.

At the same time integrity also needed to be applied at all levels from the outset.

He said the UPSR is too focused on achievement at the final examinations and as a result had put a lot of pressure on parents and teachers to the extent that they are willing to do anything to get good results for the children.

He suggested that children be assessed on a ratio of 60 percent on the UPSR exams and 40 per cent determined through tests in class and co curriculum activities at schools.

An education system too focused on scoring ‘As’ in the subjects taken at the examinations had led to the neglect of other aspects of education which can bring about the elements of corruption and greed in the social development of the country.

He said examination evaluation system must be transformed to not only focus on academic achievements but also on other areas that are equally important, such as extra-curricular activities, sports and leadership.

Other panellists were Chairman of the Malay Consultative Council Integrity Bureau, Tan Sri Mohd Zaman Khan; Deputy President of the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) Shaman Jaes and UKM Education Faculty lecturer, Dr Mohamed Yusoff Mohd Nor.

Dr Mohamed Yusoff said teachers should not just teach on what would likely appear in exam questions so that the culture of pursuing ‘As’ is not exaggerated.

“Our country should have an educational system that allows teachers to measure progress, potential and actual achievements of their pupils so as not to be oriented to the examinations alone,” he said.

Dr Mohamed Yusoff was confident that the existing examination system is good enough although there must be an improvement in the integrity of the preparation of questions and those who conduct the examinations.

Tan Sri Zaman Khan said a culture of integrity needed to be embedded in the education system to ensure that such leaks will not recur.

“If there is no culture of integrity, it would be easy to break the law,” he said.

This is the eighth in the series of the Bicara Persada forum which was moderated by television presenter Nazri Kahar from Astro Awani. Also present were the Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali and the Deputy Vice-Chancellors.