The solution? Remove Science from UPSR and just test it as an end-of-year exam (hence more time to learn, make mistakes and re-learn it in a fun way) in their own schools with other subjects after UPSR. And it has nothing to do with the fascinating contents, but the way it is tested in UPSR, with complex charts and tables. Honestly, just sit down with any 10 to 12-year-old child, flip through their past Science exam papers and ask if they like Science. It also lightens the load in their heart – and bag!
Removing these subjects will mean there are more time for literature, art and music, which most children love more than other subjects. Rekabentuk dan Teknologi (RBT) need not be introduced at all as children are too young to use hand tools.Īs a matter of fact, some schools take up the time for non-UPSR subjects such as ICT, History or RBT to drill students with more UPSR practice. History could be integrated into comprehension texts in Bahasa Melayu or English textbooks. Other subjects such as ICT (Information Communications Technology) could be combined with Science as a year-end activity, instead of being another final-year exam as a separate subject. This results in Mathematics not being taught on a daily basis. School hours are also spent on unnecessary subjects which the children hardly master. Still struggling to understand the basics of arithmetics and grammatically correct sentences, these children find Science a little too advanced for them and they begin to slip and fall. This brings great stress to the late bloomers. So, are we teaching them to think to develop a critical mind, or again, think to give correct answers?īecause of the tremendous complexity of Science, primary school children are hurried upon to polish up their reading, writing and counting skills. But seriously? Isn’t this supposed to be a thinking question?īut because of the sheer determination to score, children go all out to memorise the possible answers, too. I have seen tuition centres advertising this as their selling point. Indeed, hours after hours are spent poring over such questions to ensure they could write exactly what is required in the marking script.Īnd let’s look at HOTS (Higher-Order Thinking Skills) questions. Imagine identifying variables, writing a hypothesis, inference or conclusion for an experiment.
The UPSR tested the most important aspects of primary school years – reading, writing and counting.Īnd since Mathematics was just in the form of multiple-choice questions, students did not feel as much pressure as children do these days.īy including Science, the exam pressures shoot up, simply because a 12-year-old who is just mastering the basics now has to write scientific explanations and risk losing answers for spelling mistakes.
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