As talk grows about bringing back UPSR and PT3, I can’t help but wonder — are we really missing the exams, or the sense of direction and discipline they once gave our children?
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24, 2025 — Calls to reinstate UPSR and PT3 reveal more than nostalgia for exam-based learning — they reflect a growing unease about where our education system is heading.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Centre of Education and Diversity senior lecturer Dr Anuar Ahmad believes that bringing back the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and the Pentaksiran Tingkatan Tiga (PT3) could help restore balance to the national education system.
He said that after seven years, the implementation of the classroom-based assessment (PBD) has not been as successful as hoped.
“My support for the return of UPSR and PT3 is not because centralised exams are the best assessment method. It is because I can no longer rely on the unclear direction and effectiveness of PBD implementation,” he was quoted as saying recently.
Anuar’s remarks echo what many parents and teachers quietly feel: that classroom-based assessment, though well-intentioned, hasn’t yet delivered the consistency or confidence it promised.
Exams were never perfect, but they provided structure, accountability, and a shared sense of progress. Without them, some believe we’ve lost the discipline and direction that once guided both students and schools.
Still, the debate shouldn’t just be about bringing back exams. The rise in school violence and behavioural issues points to something deeper — a loss of values, empathy, and engagement. Education reform should not only measure knowledge but nurture character.
Perhaps the goal isn’t to bring back old exams, but to bring back what they once stood for — effort, focus, and a shared journey toward something better.
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