PUTRAJAYA — Education Ministry’s (MOE) recent engagements have led to a preliminary consensus against the reintroduction of the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) as it could potentially impede primary school students’ active participation in non-academic pursuits.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the feedback obtained from these discussions with pupils, parents, and educational leaders highlighted a collective agreement that the UPSR’s reinstatement could detract from the holistic development of students, emphasizing non-academic growth. Pkharuddin shared these insights with the press following the MOE Inspiration Talk programme.

He responded to queries regarding the education minister Fadhlina Sidek’s announcement on October 28 that the ministry would keep the UPSR in abeyance despite certain parental calls for its return as a measure of their children’s academic achievements at the primary level.

The UPSR was discontinued from 2021 as part of a broader educational reform initiated by the government, which also included engagements with various stakeholders and was further influenced by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pkharuddin underscored the ministry’s shift towards the ‘Anak Yang Baik lagi Cerdik’ (ABC) concept, which aims to foster knowledgeable individuals with strong moral values, suggesting that character building in the early years is vital for cultivating a generation that can navigate the complexities of a globalized society.

He stressed that while examinations have their place, at this juncture, nurturing values and character takes precedence. “In a world without borders, they learn so quickly from handheld gadgets, but there are no values in them,” Pkharuddin remarked. He also noted that students could benefit from a varied spectrum of activities, including sports, robotics, and cultural competitions, which would be limited if the focus remained strictly on academic achievements.