PUTRAJAYA: THE overall pupils’ performance for the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) saw a 0.02 point decrease in the Average National Grade (GPN).
Education director-general Datuk Seri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof said the GPN for the UPSR results decreased to 2.29 points from 2.27 last year, but it should be looked at positively as each cohort of students had different abilities.
The GPN and Average Subject Grade (GPMP) operate on a decreasing scale, where a lower index value indicates better candidate achievement. While the GPN reflects overall results, the GPMP gauges a candidate’s performance in specific subjects.
“Even though there is a slight decrease in the GPN, it is much better compared with the GPN in 2011 (2.30) and 2012 (2.31), respectively,” Khair said here yesterday.
As pupils picked up their result slips at their schools yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak congratulated those who excelled in the examination.
“Do not forget to say thank you to your teachers who taught you and your parents who gave encouragement,” said Najib on Facebook.
Meanwhile, Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, when speaking at a separate function at SK Puchong Jaya, said the decrease of 0.02 points was not as significant if it had exceeded a 0.05 per cent difference.
He said based on an analysis by the Malaysian Examination Board, the 0.02 point decrease in the GPN was mainly due to an increase in the number of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS).
He said more mistakes were made by pupils in HOTS questions, and it might had contributed to a decline in pupils scoring As.
Idris also denied leaks that had affected UPSR papers for Science, English, Mathematics and Tamil Language, which caused a re-sit on Sept 30 and Oct 9, were the prompted for the drop in the GPN.
A total of 36,304 pupils scored As this year, as compared with 42,646 pupils last year.
Khair said the percentage of pupils who scored below the minimum achievement level dropped by 0.49 per cent when compared with last year’s figures. This year, 2.87 per cent of the UPSR candidates, or 13,211 pupils, scored below the minimum requirement, as compared with the 3.36 per cent, or 15,656 pupils, last year.
“This can be attributed to the hard work put in by teachers to ensure students achieve the minimum grade. I believe they will keep doing their best to ensure students can achieve excellence.”
Khair said five subjects saw an increase in the GPMP, including increased achievements in English and Bahasa Melayu (Writing) papers at government schools, and the Bahasa Melayu (Comprehension) paper at vernacular schools. Additional reporting by Shobna Periayaih and Tania Jayatilaka