YEAR Six pupils will, from this year, be assessed not just on their academics or UPSR alone, but three other non-academic components, one of which is called the Physical Activity, Sports and Co-curriculum Assessment or PAJSK.
PAJSK, UPSR, classroom assessment, and psychometric assessment make up the “Primary School Assessment Report” which Year Six pupils will receive for the first time this year.
PAJSK specifically, functions as an indication of a pupil’s physical fitness and active involvement in co-curriculum throughout primary school.
Education Ministry Co-curricular and Arts Division principal assistant director Mohd Rashid Mean said under PAJSK, student performance is evaluated based on the National Physical Fitness Standard (SEGAK) and co-curricular activities.
For co-curricular activities, students will be graded based on their involvement in uniformed bodies, clubs and societies, as well as sports and games.
“We evaluate a pupil’s performance based on their involvement, participation and performance in these three activities, but two of the best will be chosen as their official result.
“Their positions, level of representation, commitment, service, attendance and performance will be assessed.”
According to Rashid, this method of assessing pupils was a way to acknowledge their service to their schools, society and even the country.
“If they are school prefects, involved in community gotong-royong, or if they like to help their teachers at school, these will be taken note of and graded,” he said.
He added that the report will be used for the next phase of a pupil’s education.
“This Primary School Assessment Report is a more comprehensive and holistic assessment of students. UPSR is still included, but it is just one component among four,” he said.
The results for all four components, he added, would be used for enrolment in secondary schools such as Mara Junior Science Colleges and fully residential schools.
This however, was subject to additional tests or requirements needed by the respective institutions.
Curriculum Development Division unit head for physical education and sports Kamariah Mohd Yassin said SEGAK was a standard fitness test to ensure the nation’s children were active and healthy.
SEGAK requires pupils to record their body mass index (BMI) and conduct four specialised tests that gauge their fitness levels.
“SEGAK tests are held twice a year, in March and August. If a pupil does not perform well in March, they have to improve in time for the August test.”
Apart from recording their BMI, pupils will have to do a stool step-up exercise for three minutes, push-ups or half push-ups, half sit-ups and bend their bodies to record their flexibility.
The latter four exercises were chosen specifically to test various aspects of fitness in pupils, such as cardiovascular endurance, upper body endurance, abdominal endurance and flexibility.
“All the tests have specified norms that are tailored to each age and gender. As SEGAK is held from Year Four (age 10) to Form Five (age 17), every age has their own individual scores that serve as indicators of their fitness levels.
“The SEGAK result that pupils receive in the Primary School Assessment Report is the assessment done in Year Six,” she said, adding that the results of SEGAK are in the form of grades A through F indicating fitness level.
SEGAK is not a new standard practised in schools, Kamariah added, as it was first introduced in 2008.
The difference this time around, she said, was that parents will formally receive the report and it will be used as a reference for secondary school enrolment.
Education director-general Datuk Dr Amin Senin made the announcement on the report on Tuesday, saying it was a means of assessment that was more holistic and meaningful for pupils.
The Primary School Assessment Report, however, differs for students with special needs, as they will get the Primary School Alternative Assessment result instead of UPSR, together with the other components.