Umno calls for return of UPSR, PT3

KUALA LUMPUR - Umno has proposed that the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) examinations be reinstated in the national education system.

Its president, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said the party has tasked Perak Umnochairman Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, who is also Higher Education Minister, with bringing the proposal to the government.

"We want these two examinations reinstated and Dr Zambry has been given the responsibility to convey this mandate," he said in his winding-up speech at the 2025 Umno General Assembly at the World Trade Centre (WTC) Kuala Lumpur here today.

Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, also said Umno had proposed that the government introduce a 'protection act' for teachers to ensure educators are safeguarded when carrying out student disciplinary responsibilities.

"This also involves teachers' workload and welfare, because in the past, if students were caned by teachers and then complained to their parents at home, they would be caned again, unlike the situation today.

"Today, when children complain about being caned by teachers, parents come to the school to ask which teacher did it and may even scold them or lodge a report," he said.

On higher education, Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said he had asked the vice-chancellor of Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia (UPTM) to introduce the 'Programme for Executive Development in Management' for graduates to address the mismatch between education and employment.

He said that with the skills gained through the programme, graduates could be employed by government-linked companies (GLCs) or companies under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA). - BERNAMA