Just recently, the newspapers have reported that in the recent UPSR (Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah or Primary Schools Assessment Test) examinations, several, or more, questions especially from the Science and English papers have been leaked out to students even before the examinations began. In fact, it was even alleged that some teachers managed to get hold of some of the questions from the real examination papers that they managed to give their students some last minute exercises based on those leaked questions. Many parents were surprised that such a thing is happening and one even reported the matter to the police.

Do understand that as the public examination papers are PRIVATE and CONFIDENTIAL, as such, if anyone is found circulating the questions prior to the real date of the examinations (for open examination papers) and after the examinations (closed examination papers), the accused can be sentenced by law. I do not know what the true penalty is, but I doubt if it is light.

What has our Malaysian society become now? Here we emphasise the importance of education and how it will bring us a brighter future, yet, some corrupted parties perform certain illegitimate measures just to defeat the purpose of having education. It is true that our education system has become too exam-oriented, but as examinations are part of learning, why is it that we cannot respect the way assessments are being done?

Why is it that some parties go through all sorts of illegitimate measures to, somehow or rather, assist students who have not put in sufficient effort in their studies to score during examinations? Have they not thought about whether what they have done is fair to those who have put in genuine effort in their studies? Has nobody ever thought of the consequences if this was allowed to happen every year?

As far as I am concerned, there was so few a year when no question leaks were reported. The worst part of all is that questions that leaked out are not those of higher level ones such as the SPM or STPM, but UPSR examination questions! I am made to understand (as I have already gone through the UPSR stage) that UPSR is indeed a time when primary school students, though they are required to put in effort in their studies, should not be under such intense pressure.

Education is not just about getting A's for examinations. In the end, it is knowledge that counts, as well as its application. A student who has put in sufficient effort in his or her studies may not be able to score well during the UPSR examinations but they might be more knowledgeable in some other ways, and as such may help them score far better during their secondary school examinations.

I might understand why some corrupted people might want to get the questions leaked for examinations such as SPM or STPM, but UPSR as well? Deontologically speaking, no matter for what reasons, examination questions must be kept private and confidential and must not be leaked out no matter how much temptation there is. But sad to say, the scenario in our country has somehow got worse.

For heaven's sake, this is only a primary school assessment examination, not a university entry one. Having that one A less does not mean that the student is a failure. When is it that our society will learn and comprehend that for the sake of the future generations, we must preserve our integrity? If certain groups of people just will not stop doing what they have done, they are just going to bring this country down. In the end, it is their children's future that turns bleak.

What do I think about those people who tried to get hold of examination questions, you ask? Pathetic. Period.