PADANG TERAP: Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid today denied that his deputy, Datuk P. Kamalanathan had blamed the teachers for the poor performance of the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in some schools.
He said Kamalanathan's statement has been misinterpreted and appeared to be spun by some quarters for their own interest.
"I have read his full statement and he did not blame teachers with regards to Hots issue.
"Everyone need to understand what Hots is all about and make it work.
"It is not a programme but a thinking skill included in the schools' teaching and learning sessions.
"We are only in the second year of implementation of the element in UPSR examination, so the issue that teachers are responsible for it does not arise," he said after attending an event at SMK Kuala Nerang here today.
He was commenting on a report that Kamalanathan had cited teachers' understanding as among the factors that 169 schools being rated lower than good category based on the assessment of Hots implementation in 2016 UPSR.
Mahdzir also explained that Hots was part of the National Education Blueprint 2013/25 roadmap and not an education policy change adopted by him as claimed by Kapar Member of Parliament G. Manivannan.
"I am merely continuing the prime minister's initiative and this could not be achieved overnight..." he said.
