Territory-wide System Assessment review committee suggests reinstating the test
Lots of people say the TSA puts too much pressure on pupils. Acommittee was set up to review the new format of the Primary Three Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA). Now, it is suggesting that the Education Bureau bring the test back to all schools next year with the revised format.
The TSA hasn’t been very popular. Some people say it puts too much pressure on students. To try and fix that, the government tried a new format earlier this year.
In the new trial, committee member James Lam Yat-fung explained, students were not made to drill. He also said no stress was reported among those who took part.
The bureau says the TSA should measure overall student performance to improve teaching in local schools. Committee members say the new version of the TSA does that.
Lai also said most committee members suggested that students in all schools should sit the TSA next year.
This year, a government committee was set up to suggest an easier version. About 50 schools were invited to take part in the trial. They could also decide whether or not to sit the test.
In the new version, students only had to read two passages in the Chinese language written test. In the past, they had to do three. There were also fewer questions in the maths paper.
But Eiffel Chau, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Parents League of Education Renovation, said the bureau should not bring back the test unless parents were allowed to opt out of it.
“[The bureau] should consult parents and not force everyone to take part,” he said.