GENTING, Sept 15 — Leaked UPSR examination papers affecting nearly half a million Primary Six students were an embarrassment to Malaysia’s efforts to create a world-class education system here, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

Muhyiddin, who is deputy prime minister holding the education portfolio, lamented that the papers were leaked despite Putrajaya’s efforts to preserve the integrity of the examinations, which he deemed unacceptable since the Malaysian education system was among the best globally.

“I think this is an embarrassing episode for us. This is unacceptable since we have done our best to create one of the best education systems in the world,” Muhyiddin told the National Union of Teaching Profession congress here.

On Wednesday, the Examinations Syndicate announced that Standard Six pupils would have to retake the 2014 UPSR Science 018, 028 and 038 papers as well as the English Language 014/1 and 014/2 papers on September 30 following confirmed leaks of the test papers.

Muhyiddin also suggested today that the incident showed the need to change the mindsets of Malaysians about exams, saying the culture of “passing” must be replaced with the view that these tests are a way to build intellect.

“We must shed the old thinking of only wanting perfect scores for exams that people began finding ways to achieve that, including finding an easy way out,” he said.

Muhyiddin added that his ministry is now looking into ways to beef up security and improve the existing examination system to prevent a repeat of the incident.

Earlier today, police arrested four teachers in separate raids in Penang and Parit Buntar, Perak, in connection with the leaks in the Science and English papers in this year’s Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) examination.

Kuala Lumpur CID chief SAC Gan Kong Meng said the four, one of whom is a woman, were arrested in a special operation that began at 3.30pm yesterday.            

The fiasco has sparked outrage among parents and education groups, some of whom have demanded that Muhyiddin and Education Minister II Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh resign.

The duo have also been criticised for suggesting that the UPSR examination papers be printed in the United Kingdom as a security measure, with opposition leaders calling it “a lazy” solution.