Debate over exams intensifies as experts urge focus on question quality and learning culture

THE role of examinations in Malaysia’s education system, particularly the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Ujian Akhir Sesi Akademik (UASA), has reignited debate, with calls from some quarters to replace them entirely with Continuous Assessment (PBD).

Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Anuar Ahmad, stressed that exams are not the main cause of students becoming “kakaktua,” or Parroting,  a term for rote learners who memorise without understanding.

He pointed to the quality of exam questions and a learning culture focused on memorisation and repetitive drilling as the real issues.

Examinations, Anuar said, remain relevant if designed to assess higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, evaluation, and creation, rather than mere recall.

“The culture of memorising model answers, practising predicted questions, and competing between schools to be the best has distorted the true purpose of examinations,” Astro Awani reported him saying, referring to the widespread practice of memorising model answers and competing for top school rankings.

He cautioned that Continuous Assessment could face similar pitfalls if ranking and performance remain the primary focus.

“Examinations are not a tool to determine the excellence of a school, but are meant to assess students’ understanding and skills objectively,” Anuar explained, highlighting that exams are intended to objectively measure student understanding and skills.

Citing international practices, he noted that countries such as Singapore continue to use exams like the PSLE, which were enhanced in 2024, while leading universities worldwide maintain written exams as a primary evaluation method.

“Do they produce ‘parrot-like’ students? The answer is no,” he added.

Anuar concluded that the real challenge lies not in the existence of exams, but in the design of questions and the educational culture that surrounds them.

Emphasis should be on assessments that promote critical thinking and creativity rather than rote memorisation. - November 10, 2025