Feeling Pity For PT3

Star Q

i.  Banjir 2014

ii.  Cheese Tartlets

iii.  A Question of Queueing

First of all, let me just say that the recent revelation of the first ever PT3 result was short of a disaster in more ways than one.  Even though many were apprehensive about the outcome, people still had their fingers crossed that this examination or assessment would be the best thing to replace PMR.

People were initially apprehensive about PT3 mainly due to the short notice about its implementation that was literally thrown at the faces of teachers and students alike, less than three months before the actual assessment.  With PMR, teachers and students had more than a year to prepare themselves for the impending examination, which was clearly not the case with PT3.

Having said that, the differences in the format of questions for the assessment was something that took the teachers and students by surprise (which is actually an understatement!)  For English papers especially, not only were they different from the previous PMR papers which catered to the lower secondary level, but they were more representative of the questions at SPM level.  In fact one set of questions (the error identification section) which had long been abolished from the SPM papers, made its unwelcome appearance at, of all stages, the lower secondary level.

And in relation to the above, being an assessment for lower secondary levels one, two and three, it was also noted that the high level questions were not actually an accumulative assessment of learning done during those two years prior to the assessment year.  Students were not exposed to such formats, let alone the level of English that was expected of them.

And worst of all, this initial group of PT3 candidates will also be the first batch of SPM candidates who will, in 2016, be required to pass the SPM examination in order to get a certificate.  In short passing English will be compulsory!

A lackadaisical attitude and impromptu decisions are not ways to improve things, especially where education is concerned.  Such decisions will affect the lives of not only the young people sitting for the examinations, but their families and the society at large.  

At a glance the intentions to have PT3 is commendable but the implementation leaves a lot to be desired.