THE Ministry of Education’s (MoE) approach in adopting the School-Based Assessment by emulating several Scandinavian countries is not working well in Sarawak’s circumstances.
In stating this, Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Seri Roland Sagah said it is because of the insufficient number and the state of the education infrastructure and facilities, shortage of teachers in related subjects, inadequate teachers’ professional development opportunities and other issues.
“An effective School-Based Assessment, among others, needs improvement in the overall education ecosystem such as teachers, including professional development, infrastructures, facilities, tools and equipment, connectivity and curriculum,” he said.
He said when delivering his Ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on Monday (May 13).
Sagah added when the time is ripe with considerable achievement in development, and with teachers’ professional development opportunities, the School Based Assessment may be implemented.
Earlier, the standardised assessment system at Year 6, known as Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) had been scrapped by the Ministry of Education, in favour of the School Based Assessment.
“Hence, since the beginning of this year, my Ministry has drawn a comprehensive plan to carry-out standardised assessments for our Year 6 pupils beginning 2025 and Form 3 students by 2028.
“I must thank MoE, for giving the approval-in-principle and offering the necessary cooperation and support in our plan to carry out the standardised assessments. This is also in tandem with the World Bank recommendation,” Sagah said.
He said the planned assessments will only involve the subjects of English, Mathematics and Science which are taught in English, under the Dual Language Programme (DLP) in Sarawak and the first cohort of 2020 will sit for the assessment in 2025.
“To ensure quality and standard of the assessment, my Ministry is now in a series of discussions with an international accredited assessment provider due to be concluded soon. “I would like to assure that the assessments will not be a burden to pupils, teachers, and parents. Let us work together and run this path diligently and pray for a better outcome,” he said.
