PETALING JAYA, March 19 — Parents and students generally welcomed the abolition of the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination in favour of the assessment-based Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3).
They felt PMR was a waste of time and it was too examination-oriented.
Many of them believed soft skills and living skills should also be given emphasis as the ever competitive world does not only rely on a piece of academic certificate.
This is the feedback gathered by The Malay Mail from the man in the street on the end of PMR:
David Lim, 37, director
“Even though my child is still young, I do not want my child to go through the gruelling PMR. As a parent, I do not want to push my child too far when he or she grows up. The learning process should not be forced but should be enjoyed. A child’s education is not complete if the focus is only on academic achievements. Other skills which are equally important such as soft skills should be developed too.”
Lee Wai Kuan, 43, entrepreneur
“It's about time PMR was scrapped. It's old, outdated and archaic. PMR focused too much on academic achievements. Life is not about studying only and getting straight As. There are too many national examinations. The government should focus on upgrading soft skills and the attitude of students as these are the skills that we need when we go out into the real world.”
Justin Goh, 15, home-schooled student
“The abolition of PMR has lessened the stress of students. PMR was just like a normal test. As a student, it doesn’t give much value. The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia is more important. For example, if I want to go for my tertiary education, emphasis will be placed on my SPM results.”
Fatin Nabilah Osman, 18, student
“Some people feel studying is like a walk in the park while some don’t. Those below average in studies would need to learn some living skills so that they can find a career that suits them.”
