School-based assessment will resume after review and amendments, says minister

While stressing that the school-based assessment (SBA) will not be abolished, Education Minister II Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh (pic) said the amendments made to it will be announced on April 1.

The education ministry, he said, would still go on with the SBA system as this is what is "wanted by the people".

He said Malaysians had previously urged the ministry to change the country's education system so that it was not exam-oriented.

"We will continue with the SBA because this is what the people want. We will definitely not abolish it, just postpone its implementation to improve it," he said at a press conference in University Malaya in Kuala Lumpur today.

The Education Ministry had yesterday said it had suspended implementation of the SBA, which had received considerable flak from teacher pressure groups, pending a review.

Putrajaya, he said, will announce the improvements to the SBA system on April 1.

The Malaysian Insider had previously reported that teachers and school administrators, who found it hard to cope with the SBA to track students' performances, had fallen back on examinations.

This has led to a situation where many schools have two systems. On the surface is the SBA, which is done to please officials in Putrajaya, but beneath that is the old annual examination system, a teachers group revealed.

On the difficulties faced by teachers over the SBA system, Idris said he understood the situation, adding that the government will come up with a new SBA system that will not be taxing to the teachers.

"We hear the complaints from parents and teachers and we understand. We have done a two-year study about this system. My wife is also a teacher and we always keep in touch with the grassroots to improve the system.

"For now, teachers need not worry and need not go through the explanation about the system. All they have to do now is focus on their teaching," he said.

He insisted that the SBA system was the best to be implemented in the country.

"The government has decided and the SBA is the best system. The issue is just the implementation.

"There are no problems with the SBA in its objectives and policies, we just have to tidy up the implementation and this will be announced on April 1," the minister added.

The SBA was implemented in 2011 starting with Primary One pupils. In 2012, the ministry started implementing the SBA in all Form One classes.

It is part of the government’s efforts to produce more well-rounded students, instead of those purely excelling in studies. There are no annual exams under the SBA.

Each day, teachers grade pupils on a subject based on a six-band spectrum starting from band one "understand" (the lowest) to band six “exemplary” (the highest).

The ministry review comes following teacher pressure group Suara Guru Masyarakat Malaysia (SGMM) protest in Bandar Baru Bangi on Saturday over the SBA.

The SGMM wanted the SBA scrapped with schools reverting to the exam-based system.

SGMM chief Mohd Nor Izzat Mohd Johari said a memorandum was drawn up and would be handed over to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"It has been three years since the SBA was implemented and it has led to a greater workload for teachers, even during their personal time.

"The main job of teachers is to teach. But since the SBA was implemented, greater emphasis has been placed on data entry and clerical duties, instead of focusing on the syllabus,” he said on Saturday.

Nor Izzat said teachers faced questions by parents about their children's performance in the school but found it hard to give an explanation.

"Why can’t teachers give an explanation? Simple… today teachers tell parents one thing, but tomorrow, the goal posts are shifted again by the authorities."

Persatuan Gerakan Kebangkitan Pendidik Kebangsaan (Pendidik) president Normala Sudirman criticised the education ministry for victimising teachers who spoke out against the system.

"Teachers who have dared to criticise the system have been suspended, transferred numerous times and even sacked," she said.

"In the past two weeks, Pendidik has received more than 100 complaints from teachers who have been disciplined by the Education Ministry."

Normala also said there had been cases where teachers were fired without the proper procedures.