In 2021, Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) was abolished. A debate has sparked among proponents and opponents of the abolishment. Proponents stated that UPSR was stressful, while opponents said UPSR is needed to evaluate the academic performance of a student.
As a former UPSR candidate, UPSR has been a nightmare for me. I was in a high-stress study environment, where each student is competing fiercely for the top rankings. I was no exception. My parents have provided me with resources and without disappointing them, I manage to be in the top 10 rankings. To them, a good grade represents a bright future. To me, grades have been my everything. Grades are my self-worth. And I used to deeply believe this.
However, my belief shattered once I entered university. I met people with different talents, and they truly impressed me. They are not a high achiever in academics, but they do have their own passion and talents to do art, music, or sports that are not related to academics. That’s when I realized that I do not have hobbies or passions because I have dedicated most of my time to studying. Studying has always been my priority, and I have sacrificed the opportunity to explore new hobbies. I would imagine what I do would if I wasn’t so obsessed with grades and studies. I might have a chance to be a volunteer.
The mindset of the society that glorifies good grades is controversial. Undeniably, good grades can help students to enter prestigious universities and land high-paying jobs. But does a ‘one-size-fits-all’ education assessment is fair to all students?
Students
I have asked some students for their opinion on having an examination-based assessment and good grades. A former primary student, Li, said that he was not an ‘elite’ student at the time he was in primary school. The classes were arranged based on grades, which means the top students would be put in the ‘A’ class. He was in the ‘D’ class at that time. He didn't feel he was treated differently until he met a schoolmate from the ‘A’ class. That’s when he knows how the students are treated differently. The ‘A’ class was allocated with better resources, such as free tuition. They are being given the priority to be a prefect or participate in a contest. He stated that his classmates might not be the best, but some of them do have talents. If trained properly, they can be the next star. He doesn't mean to complain, but the fact that all attention was given to the top class frustrates him. Other classes deserve attention and equal opportunity too.
Another student, Clara, was an ‘A’ class student. She was a moderate student in the class. She felt the stress, but it doesn't affect her much. What bothers her is her parent’s mindset. She likes to debate, and she participates in 100m sprint once. But she was denied all these because her parents want her to focus on her studies. She did participate and won in a debate contest, but her parents didn’t view this achievement highly, mainly this is not related to studies.
The problem with exam-based examinations is we expect all students to score well. But society has forgotten the ultimate purpose of examination — to evaluate a student’s academic level and provide necessary assistance to the weaker students. Education is for the students to learn skills, but not to separate them based on their grades. This is indirectly a separation of social class, where the middle or upper-class students can afford tuition and be the top students, while the underprivileged are left to struggle. The ‘A’ class student might have a sense of superiority, just because they can study better than others. In fact, everyone has his own talents but the examination-based assessment has told us a different thing — only the one who excels in the exam is the best.
Teacher
The music or art teachers are affected too. They always need to sacrifice their lesson for the language teacher or math teacher to provide additional classes. Music and art are deemed ‘not important’, and it doesn't help with the grades either. The truth is, music and art can spark creativity. But they are not regarded as highly as other subjects. The thing is, we do not want to cultivate the next generation of students who only know how to study, but are denied the right to explore other interests, just like what has happened to Clara.
Moving on
It’s time for the nation to move on from UPSR and to embrace a new system that evaluates the students fairly from different aspects. As being stated by the Education Minister, the education ministry will empower the teachers through classroom assessments. However, the question being raised is, how to ensure the assessment is not another form of UPSR? Empowerment is a vague term to describe how the teachers will be trained to prepare the classroom assessments. Malaysia’s examination is notoriously for its rigid marking schemes, thereby killing students’ creativity and critical thinking.
The examination cannot be wiped out wholly from the education system, but it should not be used as the sole assessment method. Hence, assessment should be comprised of more group assignments. It encourages the students to work with others and build their teamwork. Non-examination-based assessment can motivate students to think critically, and it is better than requesting students to sit for long hours examination under stressful conditions. Furthermore, assignments can assess students in terms of communication, reading, and writing. Non-examination-based assessments are more effective to develop their skills and personal growth.
