Less focus on exams in curricula revamp next year, Education D-G says

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — Teaching and assessment methods in schools will be overhauled next year to ensure more focus on extracurricular activities and less on central examinations, according to Education director-general (D-G) Tan Sri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof.

He told New Straits Times that students can expect between 15 and 20 per cent changes in the current subject syllabi, following completion of the review on the Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) and Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah (KSSM).

“The Education Ministry has completed the Curriculum Review for both primary and secondary schools, to be used in 2017 for all subjects,” he was quoted saying by the English daily.

“What will change is the pedagogy of instruction and assessment, which will no longer focus only on central examinations, like Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), but also on school assessment, co-curriculum, physical health, sports and talent.”

He said the changes would be in accordance with the Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013-2025) in promoting a balance between knowledge and skills.

Khair further told the daily that an “accelerated learning pathway” is in the pipeline for the future, one that will allow high achievers to sit for their SPM or UPSR examinations a year earlier.

“(The revamped) KSSR and KSSM, which will be introduced next year, are a stepping stone in the preparation of a fast-track system for students who meet (certain) standards earlier than others,”

He said the implementation of the accelerated pathway is still under discussion in the second wave of the blueprint, which will go on until 2020.

The last KSSR review took place in 2011 while the last review on KSSM, formerly known as Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah, was in 1989.

The Malaysia Education Blueprint, which was launched by former Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on September 6, 2013, is a 15-year roadmap for the country’s education system that will cover the years between 2013 and 2025.

The government will take stock of the blueprint’s progress at the milestone years of 2015, 2020 and 2025.

One aim of the blueprint is to propel Malaysia to the top third tier in international education rankings in 15 years’ time, based on the results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).