Fadhlina said the cohort was the first batch of students who did not sit for the UPSR and PT3 exams following their abolishment in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

She said the generation had successfully overcome various challenges, including learning disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We take a more positive attitude towards what is happening in the context of national education. With the results, they have proven that they are a generation or cohort of children who have a high level of resilience,” she was quoted as saying by Bernama.

She was speaking to reporters after reviewing the 2025 SPM results at SMK Tinggi Kajang today.

The SPM examination results announced today were the best achieved so far, with a national average grade of 4.42 compared to 4.49 in 2024.

Education director-general Azam Ahmad said 366,435 candidates or 94.29% were eligible to receive SPM certificates compared to 355,933 candidates in 2024.

Both UPSR and PT3 were replaced with school-based assessments.

In January, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the introduction of a new standardised assessment for Year 4 pupils starting this year, and Form 3 students from 2027.

At the primary level, pupils will be tested in four subjects: Bahasa Melayu, English, Science and Mathematics. Form 3 students will sit for the same four subjects plus History.

Fadhlina assured parents and teachers that the Year 4 assessment would not be a high-stakes exam, but rather a broader, more holistic tool to measure pupils’ progress and allow for early intervention if weaknesses are detected.