A group of teachers will continue to mount a protest over the failure of the Pentaksiran Berasaskan Sekolah (student evaluation based on school work or PBS) on Feb 22, despite Second Education Minister Idris Jusoh last Friday urging further discussions for improvements to the system.

Already, Form Three students this year are already faced with the prospect of not having their Forms One and Two assessment results being considered as part of their final grades, as the government may revert to the examination-based system, similar to the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR), despite it having been abolished last year.

Teachers are already upset that their efforts and complaints on having to input the data and keeping notations of the efforts of their students over the past years, which have to be done in the early hours of the day, are not being taken into consideration.

They have already set up a Facebook page to protest against the PBS system and are seeking its abolition.

The PBS system has been in place in primary and secondary schools since 2011.

The group, led by Suara Guru Masyarakat Malaysia (SGMM) working group chief Mohd Noor Izzat Mohd Johari, said the majority of teachers are opposed to the PBS system and proposals for further dialogues by Idris are only hypocritical as they have already met, two months ago.

“We gave them three years to improve on the system. However, the ‘improvements’ Education Ministry claims to have done to the system are merely meant to hide the weaknesses of the PBS system itself,” Mohd Noor said.

“We have held enough discussions as Idris and I had met in December. We will continue to hold the protest on Feb 22, dubbed the ‘222 Gathering to abolish PBS’,” he said.

Idris had been quoted in several newspapers as asking the teachers to be patient and to hold further discussions to improve the PBS system.

The minister wants teachers to give the ministry more time to improve on the system, saying the PBS system is supported by specialists who comprise academicians.

No approval, but protest will go on

Mohd Noor said they went to the Putrajaya police station last Sunday to inform the authorities of the impending protest, to fulfil the 10-day notice required under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

“Several SGMM committee members and I went to the Putrajaya police station in Precinct 7 to inform them about the protest. However, our application failed as the police did not prepare the necessary forms for us to fill in to hold the peaceful protest.

“Nevertheless, the peaceful protest will be held and we will announce the venue soon. The protest will comprise non-governmental organisations, teachers, civil society and parents,” Mohd Noor added.