The ongoing practice of holding celebrations for students who obtain straight A's for UPSR exams should stop, said the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP).

Instead, the union's president Kamarozaman Abd Razak said, schools must recognise all students for taking part in the exams.

"If we can't avoid (holding such ceremonies), then it should not focus on straight A's students alone.

"The whole school will be more motivated if the focus is not on the high performing students," Kamarozaman said when contacted.

He added that schools must be aware that straight A's students interact with other students too.

He said this when asked to respond to Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid's advice for schools to not hold celebrations for straight A's students.

Mahdzir (photo) argued that such celebrations might cause other students to feel unappreciated and inferior.

According to Berita Harian, Mahdzir said schools should celebrate the achievements of all UPSR candidates and not a select group.

Kamarozaman said he agreed with the minister because encouragement and appreciation must be shown to academically weak students who succeed in obtaining a pass as well.

"Thus far, politicians only want to reward the good students. This affects weaker students emotionally," he said.

However, he said celebrations for those who performed well for SPM and STPM examinations ought to be celebrated because this was the culmination of years of work.

"For SPM and STPM is not a problem. But avoid celebrations for PT3.

"SPM and STPM candidates are competing and preparing for their careers. Moreover, they are more mature," Kamarozaman said.

The UPSR results will be announced on Thursday, Nov 23.