MP’s call to abolish school exams divides opinions; many argue it breeds competitiveness

 

A POST sharing the education minister’s suggestion to abolish school examinations has been met with incredulity. Posting on X, user Nik Amirul (@NikAmerol) said the lawmaker reasoning was flawed as it was not backed by research and data.

He also said the current generation of adults are living proof that the pressure of examinations was over-exaggerated, claiming that it is part of learning and growing to face real world challenges.

Siss, you need proof and data to backup your statement. Kami the living proof upsr pmr spm takde bagi tekanan teruk pun, its part of learning and growing process to face the real world. Ffs please kembalikan the exam. https://t.co/wCNFtZKVr4

—  Nik Amirul (@NikAmerol) November 26, 2024

Fadhlina Sidek said that the move was to move towards an “enquiry-based learning” and a holistic education which would motivate students better without the associated stress of exams.

The Nibong Tebal MP believes that such a system would create a better learning environment allowing students to flourish as it would be based on experiential learning.

The PKR women’s wing chief’s remarks have been met with mixed responses.

Some argues that the lack of exams could lead to students having no purpose or aim.

Another pointed out that if Malaysia was to follow the examples of other nation’s education curriculum, it has to be complete and whole, not piecemeal.

A few suggested perhaps it is better to teach parents, teachers and students on how better to handle stress rather than abolish exams.

Comparing syllabi past and present, one netizen noted that today’s subjects seem a lot more difficult. He suggested that perhaps it was the syllabus that needed to be tweaked, not the abolition of exams.

Quite a few commented that pressure is a reality of life. It is best that students are exposed to it sooner rather than later, preparing them for adulthood and the many associated challenges.

A few said the source of the stress is from overzealous parents, not exams per se.

One netizen, however, believed that too much focus is put on exams to the detriment of other areas such as sports. He says he is the individual he is today because of his involvement in sports.

One netizen noted that this is indeed a divisive issue. When there are exams, parents would complain endlessly that it was not reflective of the child’s abilities. When the plan to remove exams is mooted, there would be a similar din.

Another argued that exams were indeed worthless as many who sat through them are jobless. He also said suicide cases due to exam stress were plentiful.

One argued that such an important decision with far-reaching consequences needs to be backed by thorough research and fact-finding, not on the hunch of the education minister.

This is a thorny issue, with people on both sides of the fence having their say.

The worry is that this becomes yet another ill-researched move that is open to flip-flopping, just like the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English, with students ultimately paying the price of a poorly thought-out curriculum. – Focus Malaysia