KUCHING – Sarawak Education, Innovation and Talent Development Ministry aims to implement the proposed standard assessments for Year 6 and Form 3 students emphasising on dual language programme (DLP) subjects by 2025.
Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee In said the Education Ministry (MoE) is supportive towards the proposal and has agreed to assist in the implementation of such assessments across all the public schools in this state.
“Federal education minister (Fadhlina Sidek) also agreed to help us, so of course the state education department will abide by it, and in fact, many are supporting it, even in the peninsula.
“Of course, the schools (now) have their own school-based assessment system…we cannot say that it is not good, but we want to do better.
“The main thing is the DLP, which includes science, mathematics and English subjects. These are the areas we will assess and we are engaging with officers and experts in matters relating to this,” he told a press conference at the state legislative assembly building here today.
In his winding-up speech earlier, Roland said such an assessment is vital as it will serve as a way to gauge the effectiveness of the DLP, alongside other state’s initiatives to increase the uptake of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects in schools.
However, Roland said it would still be premature to elaborate further on the assessments as his ministry is currently deliberating the exercise.
“Rest assured that the proposed assessment will not cause undue stress to all parties, students, teachers, the schools and parents,” he said.
Meanwhile, on the progress of devolution and decentralisation of powers for education under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Roland said the ministry has yet to receive an official response from MoE on arrangements for the decentralisation of authority to be realised.
“We will not give up and we will keep on barking at them (MoE). We will prepare to have a meeting again with them early next year, together with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is coordinating the MA63 meeting,” he said. – November 27, 2023