KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry would improve on the PMR (lower secondary assessment) rather than abolish it.
Education Deputy Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching said the mitigative measures to take effect next year would take into consideration not only cognitive but also physical, emotional and spiritual progress in the evaluation.
She said the lower secondary assessment would still be held but not as a central examination.
“It would embrace four components, namely, school assessment, central assessment, physical activity, sports and co curriculum assessment and psychometric assessment,” she said, in reply to Datuk Sapawi Ahmad Wasali (BN-Sipitang) during the question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat here yesterday.
She said the assessment would focus on knowledge, comprehension, skills and values towards profile evaluation, achievement, progress and participation of the student.
According to her, the enhancement was a followup to the Examination Board’s circular No. 2 2011: Improvement on National Assessment System for PMR beginning 2012.
She said the assessment report would provide a more comprehensive and holistic picture of the student’s potential.
The implementation would also give autonomy to teachers to implement school-based formative and summative assessments, and acknowledgement for their role in the student’s performance.
“Quality assurance encompassing mentoring, monitoring, coordinating and determining activities are carried out at all levels to ensure validity and reliability of the assessment,” added Yap. — Bernama