TRANSLATED BY ANNABELL NAJA TOMMY
KUCHING: The Sarawak Ministry of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development is taking steps to introduce a special examination system to replace the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), in collaboration with relevant institutions.
Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn expressed optimism regarding the response from federal Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, who has indicated that the Ministry of Education and the Department of Education are willing to provide input for this proposal.
“We have also received support from various parties, including parents, organisations with a vested interest in this matter, and the Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Council. We believe this initiative is crucial to assess our children’s development and readiness for the future.”
He told the media this on Monday (Nov 6) following the inauguration of the Sarawak Industry-Academia Collaboration Workshop involving the ministry, TalentCorp, and the Regional Corridor Development Authority.
Sagah stressed that the special examination system might not encompass all subjects previously included in the UPSR. Instead, the focus will be on subjects related to English and those falling under Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
This initiative aims to facilitate students’ progression to international schools, enabling them to meet foreign university admission requirements.
He pointed out the necessity of an evaluation system to determine the qualification of students, especially those participating in the Dual Language Programme (DLP) for four years.
To develop an effective examination system, the ministry plans to engage with officials from the Ministry of Education, the Sarawak Department of Education, education experts, and relevant institutions.
“We need input from experts to create a comprehensive evaluation system. We have implemented the DLP for four years, so how can we see if they are good or not if there is no evaluation, at least in the sixth grade.”
