PUTRAJAYA should review the implementation of school-based assessments without national exams like UPSR and PT3 in light of the current Covid-19 pandemic, said the Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE).

PAGE chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said schools have been out for some time now and pupils have missed out on classes.

“UPSR and PT3 exams must be reviewed for this year. Maybe an assessment without any national exam so the focus can be given to SPM and STPM pupils,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

UPSR is the final exam for primary school pupils before they progress to secondary school while the PT3 examination is an evaluation exam for lower secondary school pupils.

She was commenting on the government mulling postponing schooling until the Covid-19 outbreak ends.

Last week, the government extended the movement-control order from April 14 to April 28.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said then the Education Ministry would work on ways to enable pupils to continue learning from home.

The ministry previously issued guidelines to help parents and teachers manage the teaching and learning implementation (PdP) under MCO.

Checks by The Malaysian Insight found that parents and teachers are struggling with online learning.

It was a problem for rural pupils with limited internet access.

Everyone has a role

Meanwhile, Noor Azimah said the government should focus on providing good internet access, gadgets, specific educational applications as well as skilled teachers and effective online learning materials.

Implementation, she said, is important for the learning to proceed smoothly.

Many families face restrictions, such as having only one smartphone or just a laptop or computer that parents used for work, she said.

This is where involvement from all parties, including the government, parents, schools and teachers, is needed, she said.

“The ministry needs to plan, and seriously plan for e-learning on the brink of a crisis.”

Secretary-general of the Association of Chinese Schools Board of Directors Dong Zhong Ng Chai Heng shared similar views, saying the support from all parties would help make the concept of home learning a success.

An important aspect of the implementation of home-based learning system is the reformation of education systems, IT and technology and schools given autonomy, including training teachers, he said.

However, he said, all these aspects may be difficult to implement now because of limited resources.

“Even if we have the best internet coverage but we still lack resources. The majority of schools are still not prepared for this sort of changes, including the school and teachers.” – April 13, 2020.