With the suspension of the controversial school-based assessment (SBA) system, the Education Ministry should withdraw action taken against schoolteachers who had criticised it, said DAP

"The heavy-handed response by the Education Ministry to penalise (teacher) Mohd Nor Izzat Mohd Johari and teachers who have come forward to criticise the SBA is totally uncalled for and unjustifiable, and must be deplored as a very mean and cowardly manner to suppress legitimate criticism in the education service.

"Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin should give his personal attention to ensure that all disciplinary actions against Nor Izzat and teachers ...be revoked immediately," said DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang.

Nor Izzat, who heads a teachers' working group Suara Guru Masyarakat Malaysia (SGMM) was notified of his transfer last Friday after he organised a protest against SBA.

Complaints against the SBA include its poor implementation and problematic software system that has bogged down teachers' time.

Bernama today reported that the ministry has decided to suspend the SBA pending further study.

It reported Education director-general Khair Mohamad Yusof saying the ministry will review the system and will take into account the ministry's latest findings, teachers' grievances as well as "public outcry, including SGMM".

'Consult, not punish teachers'

Lim said instead of penalising the SGMM members for protesting the problematic system, the ministry should be recruiting them to evaluate and improve the system.

"The SBA fiasco transforming teachers into data entry clerks, forcing teachers to get up at 2am just to input the grades of students because of online network problems, should be an expensive lesson in the so-called educational transformation of the country.

"Nor Izzat and all teachers who had come forward to criticise the SBA should be invited by the Education Ministry to participate in the evaluation of the SBA to date," he said.

Lim slammed the ministry for outsourcing the educational blueprint to "highly-paid foreign consultants" when local educationists like Nor Izzat should be at the core of transforming the nation's education system.

"Muhyiddin should give a full report to Parliament next month on the SBA fiasco and disaster," he added.