KUALA LUMPUR - Many Malaysian parents heaved a sigh of relief and celebrated when the government last week announced the scrapping of the Primary 6 examination for 12-year-old school leavers from this year.
Known by its Malay abbreviation UPSR, the examination was Malaysia's equivalent of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) in Singapore.
"When I found out that UPSR had been cancelled, I remembered how to breathe again," homemaker Anna Marie Tan, 42, whose daughter was to take the examination this year, told The Straits Times.
While primary school leavers will automatically enter secondary school, the UPSR results can determine their entry into top schools and boarding schools, sometimes stressing out students who have little time to eat, sleep, rest or play in their pursuit of straight As.