KUALA LUMPUR: Teachers tasked with conducting Level 1 pupil assessment have the experience and skills to carry it out, said Education director-general Datuk Dr Amin Senin.
He added parents need not worry about the assessment system which would be implemented starting this year following the abolition of examinations for level 1 pupils comprising Year One, Two and Three.
“I assure you that teachers especially those assigned to carry out assessments are prepared with the 21st century learning method (PAK-21) which emphasises the implementation of student-centred learning through a learning and entertaining approach, creative thinking, group learning, fostering cooperation as well as communication skills.
“The teachers are familiar with the reporting method through the school-based assessment (PBS) introduced since 2011. When there is no examination, the continuous formal reporting will assess pupils,” he said to reporters after visiting year one pupils at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Taman Tun Dr Ismail 1 here yesterday.
Earlier Education Minister Maszlee Malik announced examination for level 1 pupils would be abolished and replaced with a more objective assessment system from this year.
On the problems of overcrowded classes with more than 40 pupils, Amin said the State Education Department would be mobilising the expertise of lecturers from the Teachers Education Institute to assist schools and teachers on the problem.
He said even though such packed classes for year one were not worrying, the department viewed the matter seriously.
“We have taken several approaches and among them is to deploy IPG lecturers to assist schools and teachers on the problem. So far several lecturers are already in some schools but we are focusing on year one teachers.
“This is to ensure that the teaching can be done more optimally even though basically, teachers who are given the responsibility of teaching and managing the year one pupils are those who have sufficient experience,” he said.
He added that for 2017, there were 17,000 year one classes nationwide and from the total, 780 classes or 4.6 percent had more than 40 pupils.
“Therefore the number is not big but we did not want it to affect the learning. At the same time, we will also make the District Education Office (PPD) into a supporting system on managing classes more efficiently,” he said.
Amin also said most schools facing overcrowded classes were located in densely populated areas and not because parents were selecting schools.
“The limited school space is among the factors contributing to such big classes in Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur,” he said.
Earlier about 200 year one pupils registered at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Taman Tun Dr Ismail 1 and the total enrolment was 1,110 pupils for the 2019 session. – Bernama
