Malaysia’s Ministry of Education is considering abolishing exams for students in their first three years of schooling.
It is currently seeking views from the public to see whether the country is ready to move away from an exam-oriented system.
The ministry wanted feedback from the ground before making any decision, said deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching.
“[Public opinion] will allow us to better understand if abolishing exams for pupils in Years One to Three is a good plan,” she said.
“If exams are abolished, schools can conduct their own long-term assessment on pupils.”
The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) supported the move, according to The Star.
“Our job is to teach and assess the pupils as and when they are taught the skills,” said secretary-general Harry Tan. Tan added that school should be fun for the children.
Malaysia’s Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE), however, is unconvinced that teachers are prepared for such a drastic change and cautioned that they should be ready to cope before the system overhaul.
“Our teachers are not the same as teachers in Finland who are ready for this kind of system,” said PAGE chairman Datin Noor Aziman Abdul Rahim.
She added that more details were needed before a decision should be made, such as what assessment method would replace the current exam-based system, and how parents can be assured that their children are learning.
The public have until 31 August to submit their views online to the ministry.
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