KUALA LUMPUR – While the Education Ministry remains unclear and seemingly indecisive about how to tackle the issue of conducting the Form Three Assessment (PT3) following the protracted Covid-19 pandemic, stakeholders have expressed concern that students would not be well-prepared to sit for physical exams.
Groups representing parents and teachers have pointed to the “learning loss” brought about by the lockdowns and restrictions over the last two years and the short time left to prepare for the PT3 exams.
Education Minister Datuk Mohd Radzi Md Jidin had announced early this week that the ministry was looking into the most suitable approach regarding PT3, considering students’ level of mastery and indications from the ongoing 2021 session.
This contrasted with a statement posted on the Malaysian Examination’s Board’s Facebook page, claiming that the examinations for the 2022 session would be held from October to November.
The post was reportedly deleted, after many parents expressed dissatisfaction at the short time to prepare for the exams.
Consider classroom assessments instead of rushing to hold PT3
“The PT3 exams were postponed for two years due to Covid-19, and that was a good decision, given the lack of preparedness,” said parent Md Fakaruddin, a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) member at Sekolah Datuk Abdul Razak in Negri Sembilan.
“But to announce suddenly, and at short notice, that PT3 is back this October 2022 is not fair to parents, teachers and the schools as well,” he said, adding: “For PT3 to commence, it should start from 2024 to allow students time for full preparation.”
He stressed that there is no doubt that formal assessments are needed, and that the selection system based on examinations allows the ministry to make decisions on how to select students for boarding schools and science classes.
However, he emphasised that the exams should not be held this year due to time constraints for the PT3 students and teachers.
Fakaruddin’s stance is in line with The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Wang Heng Suan’s view that there is a lack of preparedness due to the new school term beginning on March 21 this year.
The time is too short from March to October 2022, and teachers need to cover the syllabus from Form 1 to Form 3. Classroom assessment is better at this stage,” he said.
Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Rahim similarly feels that students are not prepared for PT3, as any form of teaching and learning has been sporadic during the pandemic.
“More importantly, it is the learning assessments and intervention programmes that need to be put in place. This is to ensure that learning shortfalls, which are of various degrees, are catered to.
“The goal ought to be to best prepare students for SPM,” said Azimah.
Centralised assessment of student’s abilities still needed for streaming
In contrast, SMK Sri Permata PTA president Mohammed Zaki Samsudin said that a centralised assessment – either nationwide or at the state level – should be conducted to ensure objective evaluation of students entering Form 4.
“However, the method of assessment and the scope of the syllabus covered needs to be thoroughly discussed,” he said when contacted.
“The objective should not be about comprehensive coverage of the syllabus from Form 1 to Form 3, but on specific student learning outcomes that are linked to streaming options in Form 4.”
On the issue of confusion resulting from the on-and-off status of the PT3 examinations, Zaki expressed his view on this.
To be fair to Radzi, in his original statement about PT3 back in 2020, he did use the word ‘postponement’, not ‘cancellation’… And this carried on for two years pending review to enhance or improve assessment methods for PT3.
“So, PT3 was indeed scheduled to be brought back in 2022. But now some groups such as NUTP believe PT3 this year should be suspended because Form 3 students this year will only start their actual 2022 term in late March.
“Thus, to finish the syllabus by the end of the year will be quite a challenge,” added Zaki.
Currently, the academic school session for 2022/2023 will run from March 21, 2022 to March 11, 2023 for schools in Group A states, namely Johor, Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu.
For Group B states – Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Labuan and Putrajaya – the term will run from March 21, 2022 to March 12, 2023. – The Vibes, February 27, 2022
