The Race Towards UPSR 2016

The race towards UPSR 2016 is on. Students, parents, teachers, schools. We're all in the race together. It started at the beginning of this year. From the first week of school the kids were briefed on the UPSR 2016 new format. Meetings were called and parents were briefed on the new format by the school. Extra classes during weekdays and Saturdays were started. We've also been told that there will be extra classes during the coming March holidays from Monday to Friday. Since the March holidays is only a week, I guess that means no holidays for the UPSR students.

During the parents briefing in some schools, some students were singled out as potential 8As scorers and given trophies to encourage and motivate them. Wow. Stress. Stress. Kids started doing sample test papers for various subjects.

Below are the candidates registration form which must be filled and handed up to teachers. If you are on social media, you will see lots of sharing of posts on UPSR 2016 new format materials. Workbooks are being churned out by publishers at record rate. All read "Latest UPSR 2016 New Format" , "KBAT", "HOTS", "Sample UPSR test papers with New Format".

Parents whatsapp group beep notifications of sharing on new materials, workbooks etc. Whenever a new workbook is shared, it gets snapped up by parents. Kids do homework till midnight. Later on arts classes and physical education classes will be replaced by academic lessons.

I have stopped buying workbooks. I can only watch helplessly as my UPSR candidate at home attend extra after school tuition classes and does his homework till midnight. With not enough time to even complete his homework or even get the necessary rest that a child of 12 needs, where will he find the time to even look at extra materials or do even more extra workbooks or sample tests at home?

We don't even have time to check his school work or discuss any school work with him. Any extra time he has, I want to make sure he gets the rest and tender loving care he needs. UPSR results? Well, that will now have to depend entirely on the school, himself and his dad who has now replaced me as the home school teacher when time permits.

Oh, and the seminars have not started yet. Soon the standard six students will have to start attending seminars or "ceramah" organized by the schools. Busy. Busy.

For more information on UPSR 2016, go to the Ministry Education website for FAQ on UPSR 2016 - Soalan-Soalan Lazim UPSR 2016