Education Policy Needs Revamp To Address Student Dropouts - Ahmad Zahid

SHAH ALAM, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- The national education policy, which currently does not implement exams for Year 6 in primary schools and Form 3 in secondary schools, needs to be revamped, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said this follows the discovery that around 10,177 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates last year did not sit for the exams, and problems with reading, writing, and arithmetic (3M) were among the issues identified.

The finding, he added, was obtained from discussions with Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

“As a result, the education policy that does not include exams for Year 6 (in primary schools) and Form 3 (in secondary schools) and only has exams in Form 5 must be revamped,” he said during his speech before officiating the 78th MIC General Assembly at the Ideal Convention Centre (IDCC) here. MIC president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran was also present.

The Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) for Year 6 students and the Form Three Assessment (PT3) were fully abolished in 2022 by the then Senior Minister of Education, Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin, and replaced with the implementation of Classroom Assessment (PBD) and School-Based Assessment (PBS).

UPSR was introduced in 1988 with the fundamental aim of mastering the 4M: reading, writing, arithmetic, and reasoning, while PT3 was implemented in 2014 to replace the Lower Secondary Assessment (PMR).

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said that education policies should remain consistent and not change despite changes in government and leadership to prevent students from becoming test subjects.

“Let the government and leaders change, but the national education policy must be structured so that our children do not become victims,” he said.

Earlier, in his speech, Vigneswaran urged the government to find ways to restore the image of the national education system, following many SPM graduates’ reluctance to pursue higher education.

In addition, he said the issue of students dropping out without registering for or sitting for the SPM had also raised concerns amid the country’s effort to achieve developed nation status.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the government had agreed to allocate part of the RM200 million for strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to two Higher Education Institutions (IPT).

He said the allocation would involve TAFE College and Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) based on needs.

"I will use part of the (allocation) approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim this year (for TVET programmes at the two IPTs)," he said.

Previously, the Prime Minister announced that the government had approved an immediate allocation of RM200 million to strengthen and increase youth participation in TVET.

Anwar said the additional allocation, which would be channeled through the Skills Development Fund Corporation (PTPK), was intended, among other things, to encourage TVET institutions to develop and enhance training programmes in line with current industry needs.

Earlier, MIC president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran, in his speech, requested the implementation of special programmes and activities for 1,000 Indian youths who wished to pursue education in TVET through TAFE College.

-- BERNAMA