Explain drop in school-based exam passing grade, ministry urged

 

According to a posting on Facebook, a score of 20% to 34% meets the minimum standard (E) of the year-end school-based final examinations.

PETALING JAYA: 

The education ministry has been urged to respond to parents’ complaints on social media that the passing grade for the academic session’s final examinations (UASA) has been lowered to 20%.

National Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general Fouzi Singon said the union will raise the matter with the ministry.

“Parents are monitoring social media. The education ministry must provide them with a clear explanation so they can understand (the rationale behind the reduced passing grade),” he told FMT.

The final school-based examinations replaced national centralised exams such as the UPSR for Year 6, and PT3 for Form 3 students, which were abolished in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

They are held at the end of the school year for students in Years 4 to 6 and Form 1 to 3.

Fouzi was responding to a post on Facebook by former teacher Fadli Salleh, who said the passing grade had recently been reduced from 40% to 20%.

His post received mixed reaction from parents, some of whom questioned why the passing grade was lowered.

“Previously, ‘D’ was considered a failing grade, with the minimum passing grade set at 40%. Now it’s been lowered further. (Currently) 20% to 34% is considered a passing grade (and) 35% is regarded as satisfactory,” said Fadli.

A poster Fadli shared outlined the examinations’ grading scale:

Excellent (A) 82% to 100%;
Credit (B) 66% to 81%;
Good (C) 50% to 65%;
Satisfactory (D) 35% to 49%;
Meets minimum standard (E) 20% to 34%;
Does not meet minimum standard (F) 0% to 19%.

A check by FMT found the same poster was shared on the Facebook pages of several public schools.

Meanwhile, academic Effendi @ Ewan Matore from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) expressed concern that the reduced passing grade could lead to the perception that students are becoming lazier and less competitive.

Effendi, a lecturer at UKM’s education faculty, said educators have to ensure that students do not think they will need to study less diligently with the introduction of the new grading system.

Last month, education minister Fadhlina Sidek told the Dewan Rakyat the government will not reverse its decision to abolish the UPSR and PT3 examinations.

Fadhlina said the school-based examinations are designed to reduce stress for students compared to national exams and are on par with international best practices.

She said they focus on improving education by using continuous classroom-based assessments that encompass not just academic skills, but also personal growth and social development.

FMT has reached out to Fadhlina and education director-general Azman Adnan for comment. - FMT