Starting April 1, the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination will be replaced with the all-new Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3), affecting Form 3 students from this year onwards.
Test Subjects

Subjects like Bahasa Melayu and English Language would be implemented using written and oral tests, while Science and Mathematics will be assessed exclusively through written tests. History and Geography would be assessed from assignments, field and case studies.

Psychometric tests will measure a candidate’s aptitude, personality or attitude. The test focuses on numerical reasoning and other logical assessments.

Psychometric tests ascertain students know their interests and capability. The test determines which school they will enrol in for Form Four.

Exam Papers
The schools get to pick the set of questions for the examinations and unlike PMR, the individual schools get to decide the release date of the PT3 results. Parents can approach the schools to see their children’s performance in the PT3 and to obtain results slips.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Examination Syndicate will prepare questions of varying levels of difficulty for the schools to choose, when assessing the students.
By abolishing the current online centralised system for SBA, which required teachers to key in students’ records, workload for teachers will be reduced.

Grading
Under PT3, schools will carry out the exams and mark it accordingly, without intervention from the Examination Board. This will give schools the flexibility to administer, assess and award the scores according to the standardised guidelines set by the board.

Mixed Reactions
Reaction towards PT3 by parents and teachers were mixed. Some have voiced their concern, saying that with the centralised exam abolished, students would lose direction and get complacent with their studies.

However, while some disagreed, others have backed PT3 by saying the new system will promote the essence of learning, instead of the traditional memorising.