2005 UPSR Results slightly better

Of the 506,814 candidates who sat for the UPSR, 7.3 per cent (35,870) of the students received 5As or 7As compared to last year’s 6.8 per cent (32,982).

There was a 3.6 per cent improvement in those getting grade A for English SK (national schools) and 3.1 per cent for English SJK (national type schools).

"Standards in English SK and English SJK were good in terms of quantity and quality,’ Education director-general Datuk Dr Ahamad Sipon told a Press conference at the ministry here today. Ahamad said this showed that the Government’s initiative in improving candidates’ grasp of English was effective and should be continued. He added that the improvement in English could also be noticed among rural candidates.

There was a 3.1 per cent increase in the number of rural candidates obtaining A’s in English SK and 3.2 per cent improvement among English SJK students compared to last year. As for the minimum requirement level for English SK, there was a 4.1 per cent increase among rural students.

"I am proud to say that government efforts to improve English has proven effective among students in rural areas," he said.

He said approaches adopted by the Government in teaching Mathematics and Science in English had resulted in an improvement in the overall standard of English.



Don't compare results

- each has it's own merit.




Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein was delighted and his family will have a celebration dinner because his daughter Kyra Arianna had obtained 3As and 2Bs. “I am not disappointed with my results because this is not the end of the road, I have much to look forward to. Besides, scoring three As is not bad,” Kyra from SK Seri Bintang Utara said.

Hishammuddin told The Star he was very happy with his daughter’s results. “As a father, I am very proud of my daughter. I have always told my children that the effort they put in is more important than the grades they get.

“It doesn’t make a difference that I am the Education Minister; all I want is for them to do their best,” he said.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said he was very happy that a state with so many rural schools had achieved such good results. “If Terengganu can do it, I don’t see why other states can’t. Even the best student is from Terengganu,” he said, when asked to comment on this year’s results.

“I am actually breaking my word by telling you about Terengganu as I don’t want to focus on the top state or school but because I am so happy, I am telling you it is the top state,” he said.

The country’s best overall UPSR student is Wan Nurshafiqah Munirah Halimi from SK Kampung Raja, Besut, Terengganu.

UPSR pupil Low Fang Jun scored straight As tho' she is blind. When she lost her sight due to cancer at the age of 11, she became sullen and refused to cooperate with her teachers at SK Klang where she had enrolled to learn Braille.

Fang Jun stopped schooling in Year Five to undergo treatment for cancer of her eye muscle in a private hospital in Selangor. Following treatment, her parents wanted her to resume school but there were no classes for special children in national-type schools in Johor. She eventually enrolled in SK Klang and was initially frustrated because of her handicap and the challenge of learning Braille.

Another UPSR top scorer Muhamad Faiz Danyal, who suffers from an autism-related syndrome called hyperlexia, was euphoric over his success. “I am so happy today! I never expected to get all As,” said the friendly and chatty boy who has consistently been in the top five of his class.

Muhamad Faiz from SK Setiawangsa student, who was diagnosed with hyperlexia when he was five, had to put in a lot more effort because of his behavioural and speech difficulties. He also used to have problems with his Bahasa Melayu composition paper because he could not understand that he had to imagine the stories and sometimes had to have things repeated to him several times. Sharing his joy was his mother Khairulleza Khamsan, 41, who gave up her job to care for her son when he started Year One. She accompanied Muhammad Faiz to school every day and stayed till classes were over.

This year’s overall top UPSR student in the country Wan Nurshafiqah Munirah Halimi is proof that you can love sports and studies and excel in both. She admits she is no bookworm, preferring instead to pursue her glories in volleyball, netball and public speaking. Wan Nurshafiqah Munirah Halimi, however, emerged among the top five pupils in Terengganu and was named the overall top UPSR student in the country

Wan Nurshafiqah, who is the school’s assistant head prefect, said she only attended extra classes held by the school. “Although private tuition is a necessity for some students, I can do without it,” she said.

For the fifth consecutive year, Terengganu scored the best UPSR results in the country. Selangor again recorded the highest number of top UPSR students with six students, followed by Terengganu.

A RM2,000 mobile phone, a trip to Hong Kong and an ang pow – these are the rewards that 12-year-old Chan Wendy from SJK(C) Kwang Hwa Butterworth will get for scoring 7As in the UPSR examination.

Chan’s classmate Tan Lun Yin, who also scored 7As, said any reward would have to depend on her parents’ budget.

Another 7As achiever, Ong Hooi Yee, said in between revision she would relax by watching Chinese movies starring her favourite star Andy Lau.

Congratulations to all of them! Who says the rural schools do not have a level playing field? Who says the Malays are not capable in their academic studies? Which F**K politicians says that?