By Ahmad Faizuddin
Malaysia has been implementing the Education Blueprint 2013-2025 to improve the quality of education where school-based assessment (Pentaksiran Berasaskan Sekolah – PBS) was introduced as part of wide educational reforms. The programme is designed to assess students’ performances based on different evidence markers, like their ability to read or count, and is based on a certain grade or ‘band’, starting from Band 1 to Band 6.
However, the focus of education under PBS is said to be more on learning rather than examinations. Students are given opportunities to think, discuss, analyse and contribute in the subject learned. Should we then totally leave or do away with the regular examination system?
At some points, I believe we still need a periodic examination system to evaluate students on all their abilities. In this context, the purpose of examinations should be to evaluate and assess students’ quality. It is not to determine who is smarter or less smart. Examinations are still needed to drive learning.
As a general fact, typical Asian minds are memorising facts to pass exams. Asian students can even beat countries like the US and England in International Student Assessment Tests. But, why are we nowhere near these countries when it comes to inventions or winning Noble Prizes? Perhaps students in England and the US value more on natural phenomena through enquiry and investigation. These activities and system lead them to technological advancement with all discoveries.
With the new education blueprint, some parents are still worried about a few hiccups surrounding the PBS. Some argue that not all teachers have been trained accordingly. Others claim the assessment methods are not addressed correspondingly. Some of the test papers, for instance, are given out with the same questions for three times, purposely designed to get students a perfect score. Is this tolerable?
There is no empirical evidence to indicate that full assessment at the end of the year will improve student learning. Consequently, there should be a fair consideration of the different learning styles of each student.
The most important thing is that examinations should not only assess students’ comprehensiveness of what he or she has been learning so far. But the exams should promote students’ ability of critically interpreting information and creativity in solving problems.
Another big issue is that top scorers at schools are not obtaining places in local universities. Perhaps it is time for the Ministry of Education to formulate a common examination system. Presently, Malaysia adopts dual system for pre-university examination, namely the STPM (Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia, English: Malaysian Higher School Certificate) and Matriculation. The STPM is affiliated with the Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate while the Matriculation is based on a combination of examination, coursework and lecturer evaluation.
While STPM is run by the Malaysian Examinations Council since 1982, which also runs the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) since 1999, the one-year matriculation is conducted by the Ministry of Education. Many universities, especially in the Commonwealth nations as well as the US, internationally recognise the STPM. Its result is considered equivalent to the General Certificate of Education Advance Level (GCE A Level), a secondary school leaving qualification in the United Kingdom.
Common entrance examinations are widely accepted. We can take the examples of the Standard Assessment Test (SAT) in the United States, The National Higher Education Entrance Examination (Gaokao) in China, and the College Scholastic Ability Test (Suneung) in South Korea.
The Standard Assessment Test (SAT), first introduced in 1926, is a paper-based standardised test for college admissions implemented in the US. Originally, it was called Scholastic Aptitude Test. Then, it was changed to Scholastic Assessment Test, later to SAT Reasoning Test, and finally it is simply the SAT. The main purpose of the test is to assess students’ readiness for college combining skill areas in mathematics, critical reading, and writing.
The Gaokao, also known as National Matriculation Examination or National College Entrance Examination, was created in 1952 in People’s Republic of China. Even though since 2001 the age restriction was omitted, it is an annual examination taken by students in their last year of senior high school. The subjects tested vary by region, including Chinese language and literature, mathematics, foreign language (often English), and one or more subjects of the students’ choice depending on their preferred major in college. Since it is a yearly basis, students feel a great pressure to pass this exam.
The Suneung is a standardised test officiated by Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation in 1994. However, the first form appeared in the beginning of 1960. This exam, held annually, is considered very important to determine the future of students. Thus, on the day of the exam, people fully support students who are taking examination by opening the market late, delivering the students to the exam sites so they can be on time, and even grounding the flights.
From the above-mentioned systems, it shows that students tend to study to pass the exam rather than focusing on ambition or future career. Perhaps it is due to the fact that society expects them to be like that. However, the format of the exams should be improved to include school-based and end of semester assessment. This way will encourage students to sit for the exam and perform well in their studies.
Beside introducing one common entrance examination, the Malaysian government should also ensure to give students with socio-economic disadvantages equal opportunities to enter universities. The treatment for both private and public universities should also be equal. This will reduce the issue of excellent students not getting places in universities. Most top universities abroad, like in the UK, are actually private universities. Another issue will be providing financial assistance for excellent students. They should be given chance to purse higher education.
Reducing exam-centric is an important step, but how to manage a good exam is what we really need to examine. At the global level, for instance, we hardly produce students of calibre who can compete with other countries. We should always be reminded that quality is required in the 21st century. We shouldn’t be satisfied with just producing mediocre students. Thus, we need a rigorous examination system to test both the ability and creativity of students.***
The writer is a Ph.D. student at Kulliyyah of Education, Educational Management and Leadership, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)