By, Mohammad Qaisyar Mohamad Nazwan
The Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) were crucial national assessments in Malaysia’s education system which showed important milestones in primary and lower secondary education systems. The UPSR was introduced in 1988 and is an examination which is made mandatory for all Year 6 primary school students in Malaysia. According to Muhammad and Alias in a 2023 publication, “The purpose of the UPSR is to measure the academic achievement level of students and assist them in preparing for higher levels of education.” UPSR is an exam to evaluate the level of understanding of primary school students in acquiring fundamental skills in reading, writing and arithmetic, also known as 3M, mentions Sulaiman in 2022.
On the other hand, PT3 is a national examination which replaced Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) in 2014 for Form 3 students. The primary goal of this exam is to assess students’ academic performance and measure their accomplishments against the national education standard, reported Noh & Matore in 2020. Both assessments are introduced as a benchmark for performance measurement and provide pathways for academic progression. However, in recent years, the abolishment of UPSR in 2021 and the gradual phasing out of PT3 in 2022 signal a major transformation in Malaysia’s education landscape to align with more holistic assessment practices.
According to scholars such as Brookhart in 2011, assessments should move beyond mere test-taking to embrace formative methods that, “inform learning, provide meaningful feedback, and improve instructional quality.” Similarly, Zwaagstra in 2022 argued that standardized, high-stakes testing diminishes and limits students’ critical thinking, and creativity and does not help with problem-solving. These definitions highlight the need for reforms to promote balanced, student-centred learning environments that nurture holistic development.
Moreover, numerous countries such as Singapore and Finland have adopted this approach to replace standardized assessments. For the past 20 years, Singapore has undergone several phases to facilitate holistic education in their education system, such as the “Learn for Life” initiative and “Teach Less, Learn More” initiative which placed heavy emphasis on moving away from standardized assessment to create a more holistic education system mention Kwek et al. in 2022. In Malaysia, this perspective has shaped the Ministry of Education’s decision to replace UPSR and PT3 with school-based assessments namely Pentaksiran Berasaskan Sekolah (PBS) and Penilaian Berdasarkan Darjah (PBD).
Despite all the pros of the abolishment of UPSR and PT3, it also has cons and drawbacks as various issues have emerged after its implementation towards students, teachers and parents. Reports show the readiness and competency of teachers in terms of knowledge and skills to fully implement PBD also become factors in this issue informs Radi in 2022. Furthermore, there is an abundance of feedback that requests for both assessments, UPSR and PT3, to be reinstated. It challenges students and educators to adapt to new assessment practices and the persistent problems in shaping the educational reforms in Malaysia, especially post-COVID, mentions Adams in 2023. The teachers are worried as several Form One students are not able to communicate and understand Bahasa Melayu well and struggle with basic mathematics and it is more difficult to prepare for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) after the assessment has been abolished writes Jeevita in a 2024 publication. Besides, the parents also expressed their dissatisfaction with the repeal and called for the revival of the exams following fears over the children’s poor academic performance reports Hakim & Nizam in 2022.
The abolishment of UPSR and PT3 represents a significant shift towards a holistic education system that prioritizes formative assessment over strict, high-stakes assessments such as standardized examinations. This paper argues that the move is an unnecessary reform as it diminishes the quality of education, reduces the motivation of students and removes academic pressure on students. By abolishing school-based assessment and standardized examination, particularly UPSR and PT3, it would only give rise to negative outcomes as supported by the issues that are frequently discussed during these days.
The abolishment of standardized examinations like UPSR and PT3 diminishes the quality of education as it eradicates the essential equipment to evaluate students’ academic performance, extra-curricular participation and ensures a just and unbiased educational system. The reduction of the quality of education stems from numerous factors that could be avoided if controlled efficiently by the government and all parties involved.
Among the primary factors that heavily affect the quality of education is the loss of performance indicators. These standardized exams ease the method of evaluating students’ performance as they set a clear benchmark for measuring students’ academic progress and mastery of core subjects. Moreover, it sets equal academic expectations for all students regardless of their social background. Without these examinations, it eliminates the benchmark for students’ performance evaluation which causes inconvenience to the parents, teachers and schools in determining the academic level of a student.
According to Dyer & Webre in 2020, standardized testing has been used since 1920s in secondary and higher education for multiple reasons: tracking student progress, as an entry requirement for colleges or universities, etc. Therefore, it is a matter of fact that abolishing the UPSR and PT3 was a mistake as these assessments set the most reasonable standards of performance evaluations.
Furthermore, it could lead to creating inconsistencies in the implementation of the curriculum as there is no guideline or common way to apply the curriculum. These inconsistencies can be particularly pronounced in rural or underfunded schools, where resources and teacher training may already be limited. The non-existence of standardized examinations may subsequently cause schools to understand and execute the educational curriculum differently which could lead to an inequality in the standard of education between schools and districts. Consequently, this would also construct issues in the boarding schools’ students’ admission as no fixed standard of education can be used by the schools to assess their potential students.
Tests produce detailed information on student learning performances, and the data of marks allows students, teachers, and school leaders to track academic progress, identify weak areas in the curriculum and test items, diagnose learning problems, set goals, and celebrate success, argues Marshall in 2018. Thus, the removal of these standardized assessments would cause greater difficulty as there would be inconsistencies amongst various schools in the implementation of the curriculum.
In addition, standardized assessments allow for the domestic and global benchmarking of students’ performances to ensure the nation’s education attains global standards. With the absence of these kinds of assessments, there is the likelihood that Malaysia would fall behind in the education system’s ranking which could indirectly reduce the competitiveness and quality of the students it produces in an increasingly globalized community. A rapid decision by the government to abolish these assessments could lead to a rapid downgrade of the quality of education as all parties are not prepared for the new type of assessment. Teachers will need time to adapt to the new system of education, and this could lead to the sluggish development of all students’ performance nationwide. This would very likely cause a decline in Malaysia’s education system ranking in the global market which makes its graduates less wanted by the job market both domestically and worldwide. According to Coughlan in 2019, other advanced nations such as China and Singapore maintained the exam systems and they perform far better overall as seen in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report. Thus, the government should not have abolished these assessments as it could lead to the decline of Malaysia’s global ranking in the education sector.
Secondly, the abolishment of UPSR and PT3 would ultimately result in a reduction in motivation among students. As is known, these assessments are crucial, in the sense that they provide a foundation for these students, particularly in goal-setting, fostering a spirit of competition, providing feedback as well as in providing a sense of achievement. Without these assessments in place, these students would have to create a motivation of their own. As good as it may seem, it can be borne in mind that not everyone has the capability to motivate themselves, especially those with challenges of their own. Studies have shown that students with a fixed mindset about intelligence tend to avoid challenges, give up easily, perceive the effort as a waste of time, ignore valuable advice, and feel threatened by the sight of others’ success says Dweck in 2006.
Moreover, goal setting is a steppingstone for all adolescents, as it drives these students towards a goal, a common goal at best. According to Fareri et al in 2008, reward seeking could be described as a motivating force or impetus for everyday human behaviour, highlighting the importance of goal setting when it comes to everyday tasks, especially learning. With standardized assessments, these students would ultimately have an incentive for them to aim high. A study conducted by Hulleman and Barron in 2016, found substantial evidence that motivation is directly linked to educational achievement. Motivation could be described in simpler terms as a catalyst of the human mind. Examinations such as PT3 and UPSR provide these students a foundation for these students to be rewarded for their hard work and dedication. In simpler terms, platform for achievement as well as success for many. By having this initiative, it allows students to feel motivated as well as appreciated for their achievements. In short, motivation is an important component of academic success.
A lack of standardized assessments in the education system would also lead to a decline in structured feedback. Consequently, the lack of an instrument in data-measuring, particularly assessments, would give rise to greater difficulty for teachers to assess their students. At the same time, students would eventually face challenges in identifying their strengths as well as their difficulties. It is unreasonable for a teacher to assess every student individually as it would require a tremendous amount of time and resources. By giving students assessments, it gives them a sense of responsibility and accountability for their work and prepares them for situations which require independent learning (Marshall, 2018). In a simpler sense, standardized assessments cultivate a sense of independence in these students, reducing their dependency on teachers.
Allowing students to work with assessment results, helps them think like assessors, measure their progress towards their goals, identify weak areas as well in developing a fixed growth mindset (Marshall, 2018). This would in turn create an ideal learning climate where students see themselves as their teachers, and where teachers see learning through the eyes of a student (Hattie, 2009). Even though holistic assessments seem close in the sense that they help their teachers know their students even more, standardized assessments help teachers recognize students’ weaknesses, and strengths albeit everything else.
Moreover, these assessments would help these students in shaping their self-confidence. The spirit of competition is what drives everyone to do their very best. The very moment one has their eyes set on a certain goal or objective, they would do whatever it takes to achieve that goal in mind. The same principle could be applied to examinations. The sense of accomplishment and achievement when one passes their tests with flying colours is something worthwhile. Hence, it should be noted that the abolishment of PT3 and UPSR would result in major drawbacks, notably the reduction in motivation among students.
The abolishment of standardized examinations UPSR and PT3 removes academic pressure among students which plays an important role in preparing students for future challenges in education. Academic pressure is commonly perceived as a negative impact particularly when excessive that can hinder and cause student learning to deteriorate. However, at some point, it is essential for students’ performance to ensure that students are fully prepared and standing at the maximum capacity to sit in every examination and prevent procrastination among students.
Although excessive academic pressure can be detrimental for students as it will lead to anxiety, feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness. With that being said, moderate levels of stress or constructive pressure are essential for building students’ resilience and adaptability in the learning process as well as encouraging good performance as students may feel a boost from academic validation. By having standardized examinations, it introduces students to real-world challenges and teaches them to work under pressure and expectations effectively.
This is immensely crucial for a student’s academic future because the school serves as a foundational phase of life as there are so many things that will be experienced by them in future such as adapting to the working lifestyle as there is a lot of pressure that needs to be overcome by the students to finish multiple tasks simultaneously and fulfil all the responsibility as an employee and as an adult.
Consequently, it is important for students to be exposed to constructive pressure for the sake of preparing mentally and physically for a more challenging life in future. Additionally, the abolishment of UPSR and PT3 may deprive students of the opportunity to develop such skills at an early stage as well as reduce exposure to constructive pressure. Recent studies suggest that experiencing manageable stress during adolescence helps students build emotional resilience and prepares them for high-stakes scenarios later in life (Yeager et al. (2019). Hence, standardized examinations should be reinstated to open the room for students to experience manageable stress during this phase of education and learn how to manage it well.
Besides, by removing academic pressure, it may impact students’ time management skills regardless of which stage as the habit of procrastination among students is inalienable especially in revision, doing assignments, and preparing for presentations. This issue is undeniably among students at every level of education either primary, secondary or university due to lack of exposure regarding time management skills and awareness about the importance of spending time wisely. Therefore, it is foreseeable that standardized examinations namely UPSR and PT3 train students to manage time effectively to prepare and revise the subjects that have been learned in class. This process foster time management skills, which are crucial for future academic success and professional life. According to Putwain and Pescod (2018), formative assessments, such as standardized examinations, cultivate habits like planning and prioritization, which are vital for lifelong success. Based on the studies, it clearly shows that time management skills are vital for students in organizing their school life schedule, allocating revision time, as well as in maintaining sleep quality by preserving circadian rhythm to get enough rest and energy. Therefore, the abolishment of these examinations may hinder students’ development of essential skills such as effective time management, planning and prioritization rigorously.
Furthermore, the implication towards lack of academic pressure is that it will lead to difficulties in transitioning to higher academic levels such as Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM), Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM), A-Level,
International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), Diploma, Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). In order to ease the path of transition, standardized examinations like UPSR and PT3 must exist as they play a pivotal role and serve as preparatory steps for more challenging examinations at higher academic levels. Removing these assessments may result in students being ill-equipped to handle the academic and emotional demands of high-stakes examinations later in their educational journey. According to the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2015-2025), the study highlights the importance of a phased approach to academic assessments, where early exposure to structured examinations builds a strong foundation for future academic transitions. Nowadays, people often start barrelling towards misunderstanding when they focus solely on the negative implications of these assessments where the notorious pressure of the assessments often overwhelms students, causing unnecessary stress and anxiety. However, it is important for reasonable people to think far ahead in facing future challenges and nurturing the intellectual culture of the younger generation.
In conclusion, the abolishment of standardized examinations namely UPSR and PT3, should not have been done in the first place, as there are various drawbacks compared to the benefits. For instance, diminished quality of education, reduction in motivation as well as the removal of academic pressure. All of these drawbacks would result in serious implications, which could hinder the future of many adolescents. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that can be related to the issue of the abolishment of UPSR and PT3 is SDG 4 Quality Education. “Goal 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” (UNICEF, 2023). In relation to the topic of this essay, UPSR and PT3 should not have been abolished since it is a threat to this SDG. This action goes against the SDG as it causes a decline in the quality of education in Malaysia. In Surah al-Mujadila verse 11, Allah said that He will raise the rank of those who believe and those who have been granted knowledge. Therefore, the Malaysian government should reinstate UPSR and PT3 for the benefits it brings.
Over and beyond, these assessments should not be abolished as they may diminish the quality of education in Malaysia. One of the primary factors that heavily affect the quality of education is the loss of performance indicators. Plus, it also could lead to creating inconsistencies in the implementation of the curriculum as there is no guideline or common way to appliance of curriculum. Standardized assessments give way for domestic and global benchmarking of students’ performance to ensure the nation’s education system achieves global standards.
Additionally, the removal or abolition of standardised assessments such as UPSR and PT3 would ultimately result in a reduction in motivation among students. Without a clear foundation or goal, a lot of students would face difficulty in their studies, and lose motivation and willpower in the process. This would be detrimental to the future of the nation as Malaysia is sacrificing its education system for a future of uncertainty. It is unreasonable for the government to treat these students as lab rats and ruin their future for the sake of uncertainty. By having PT3 and UPSR, these students would have an incentive to strive and aim high. After diving deep into this issue, it could be said that standardized assessments should be reinstated for the sake of stability, certainty and quality learning.
Besides, the reason these standardised examinations should be reinstated by the government is it will remove academic pressure among students that will make them more vulnerable in terms of basic skills in education such as critical thinking skills, communication skills, writing skills, test-taking skills, and time management. These basic skills are immensely important for students to score in examinations and for future academic success. By having UPSR and PT3, the students also can be exposed to real-world challenges and how to work under pressure effectively as they can implement the skills that they have received in school in the real world.
Based on all the aforementioned arguments, it is clear to understand that the standardized examinations UPSR and PT3 should be reinstated for the benefit of a new generation to become a prominent figure in the future. The reform made by the government was too drastic and sudden which caused a burden towards students, teachers and parents as well in terms of finances and time. The reform and changes should be done gradually, slowly and not drastically as it will open a lot of shortcomings and cons to society, especially students because they are the candidates who will sit for these examinations. The government has to mobilize a solution towards this issue as soon as possible to be among the advanced and competitive countries in education matters as it is a crucial part in determining the future of a country regardless of economic, political or social.***
