OP ED | COLUMN: Importance of centralised exams over school-based tests
Liong Kam Chong
Seremban
THE Education Ministry abolished the national centralised exams UPSR in 2021 and PT3 in 2022. These were replaced with end-of-academic- session test.However, centralised exams have the following unique benefits.
0 Standardisation and fairness: Centralised exams provide standardised metrics across schools, allowing a fair comparison of students’ abilities. Without a common assessment,
differences in teaching quality, resources and grading standards could lead to inconsistent results. Centralised exams help maintain an objective measure, ensuring that students across the country are assessed on a level playing field.
Memento Maxima Digital Marketing0 Mitigation of bias: School-based assessments can be susceptible to unconscious bias as
teachers my favour or penalise students based on subjective factors. Centralised exams are usually anonymous and are graded by external assessors, reducing the potential for bias and personal
relationships to affect scores, thus providing a more impartial evaluation of student ability.
0 Preparation for high-stake environments: Centralised exams are high-pressure
environments that mirror the type of challenges students will encounter in higher education and in their careers, where they are often required to
demonstrate their knowledge and skills under time constraints. The experience of studying for and taking standardised tests will help students
develop discipline, time management and
stress-handling skills that can be invaluable later
in life.
0 Higher accountability and rigorous standards: Centralised exams hold schools accountable to national or regional academic standards. Without such exams, there may be variations in rigour across schools, potentially allowing some students to graduate without mastering key skills. Exams create a measurable outcome for what students should know, encouraging schools to maintain high standards of teaching and learning.
0 Reduction of grade inflation: School-based assessments can lead to grade inflation over time as teachers may feel pressured to give higher grades to avoid negative feedback from parents or administrators. Centralised exams help counteract this by providing an objective, external benchmark that prevents schools from overinflating grades.
0 Objectivity in university and job applications: Universities and employers often rely on exam results as a reliable indicator of a candidate’s knowledge and potential. Centralised exams provide a straightforward, comparative measure of student ability. Replacing them with school-based assessments would make it harder for universities and employers to evaluate applicants objectively, impacting students’ opportunities.
In conclusion, while school-based assessments are valuable for providing ongoing feedback and supporting learning, centralised exams play a critical role in ensuring fairness, accountability and standardisation across the education system.
Replacing centralised exams with school-based assessments alone may lead to inconsistencies, reduced rigour and a potential loss of public trust in educational outcomes.
Therefore, a balanced approach that includes both forms of assessment would likely serve students best.
Liong Kam Chong
Seremban
@[email protected]
