MPT4 vs UASA: What Is the Difference? The UASA Bahasa Melayu Format for Years 4–6

Most Year 4 pupils have just sat MPT4, and now UASA has been postponed because of the haze. Is MPT4 the same as UASA?

No. MPT4 is set by the Examinations Board, UASA by each school.

In 2026, Year 4 Bahasa Melayu (BM) is assessed through MPT4, not UASA. Both papers share one layout: four sections, 50 marks, 75 minutes.

Read on for the UASA Bahasa Melayu format and tips.

MPT4 vs UASA: what is the difference?

MPT4 is a national Year 4 assessment set by the Examinations Board; UASA is each school’s own end-of-year test for Years 4 to 6. The table compares them point by point.

What is MPT4?

MPT4 stands for Matriks Pembelajaran Tahun 4 (often translated as the Year 4 Learning Matrix).

It is for Year 4 pupils in schools under KPM (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, the Ministry of Education): SK (national), SJKC (Chinese-medium) and SJKT (Tamil-medium) schools. Lembaga Peperiksaan (LP, the Examinations Board) sets the papers, and the BM paper is the same for every school. Schools run the test, the pupils’ own teachers mark it, and LP and other bodies check the quality.

Its purpose is to find out early how well children have mastered literacy and numeracy, so schools can step in sooner, and to give KPM national data.

What is UASA?

UASA stands for Ujian Akhir Sesi Akademik, the test at the end of the school year. Each school’s teachers set it.

Every Year 4–6 subject has a UASA, but there are two kinds of format:

• Standard format (seven subjects): KPM and LP’s format for BM, English, Maths, Science, Sejarah (History), Bahasa Cina in SJKC and Bahasa Tamil in SJKT.
• School’s own format: every other subject.

Neither test brings back UPSR (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah), the old primary-school exam that was abolished in 2021. LP also states that MPT4 is not a high-stakes test, does not replace UPSR and is not used to compare pupils or schools.

Does a Year 4 child also sit UASA BM in 2026?

No. LP’s MPT4 FAQ (version 2, 4 September 2026) says pupils are exempt from UASA in subjects already assessed through MPT4.

So in 2026, Year 4 subjects are assessed like this:

• Through MPT4: BM, English, Maths and Science, plus Bahasa Cina in SJKC and Bahasa Tamil in SJKT.
• Through the school’s UASA: other subjects, such as Sejarah.

This year, the UASA BM paper is mainly for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils.

When do MPT4 results come out?

According to LP’s 2026 MPT4 work schedule (updated 20 October), schools will print the result reports and hand them to pupils and parents between 29 November and 4 December 2026.

The Education Minister has also said that marked papers will be returned to pupils after the scores are recorded, so teachers can follow up. If you have questions about the results, ask your child’s school.

For tips on one part of the MPT4 BM paper, read MPT4 BM Bahagian B: How to Answer the 5 One-Mark Questions.

UASA Bahasa Melayu format: what are the four sections?

The 2025 UASA format for Years 4 to 6, published by LP, sets the BM paper at 50 marks in 1 hour 15 minutes. It has four sections: A (multiple choice), B (mixed objective and short-answer questions), C (one paragraph) and D (one essay).

In other words, writing (C and D) is worth 30 of the 50 marks. Schools set their own UASA papers, so the number of questions can vary within the official ranges.

Other official details:

• Difficulty mix: easy, medium and hard questions in a ratio of 5 : 3 : 2 (Rendah : Sederhana : Tinggi).
• Marking: Dikotomus (right or wrong), Analitikal (marks for each criterion) and Holistik (one overall score for the whole answer).
• Years 4, 5 and 6: the format document puts all three years under one BM format.
• All school types: BM has one format for SK, SJKC and SJKT schools. The document marks Maths, Science and Sejarah with a version for each school type, but not BM, so there is no separate SJKC version of the BM format.

How can my child score in each section?

These are YouSeed’s suggestions, not official rules: for A and B, grammar basics and reading the questions first; for C and D, a fixed writing structure. Because the MPT4 and UASA BM papers share the same layout, these tips work for both.

Bahagian A: grammar and comprehension (10 marks)

• Grammar: start with the basic rules, such as imbuhan (affixes), kata hubung (conjunctions) and kata sendi nama (prepositions). Keep a mistakes notebook, and have your child practise a few more questions on every rule they get wrong.
• Comprehension: teach your child to read the questions first, then the passage, circling key words. With multiple texts (Teks pelbagai), they should check which text each question is about.

Bahagian B: short answers and the critical and creative response (10 marks)

• Short answers: answer in full sentences. Starting with the key words from the question helps your child stay on point.
• Critical and creative response: Respons Kritis dan Kreatif asks for your child’s own opinion or suggestion. There’s no single right answer, but they must give a reason, for example “Saya setuju kerana…” (“I agree because…”).

Bahagian C: one paragraph (10 marks)

• Structure: topic sentence → two or three points → one sentence of explanation or an example for each point.
• Practice: list the points first, then turn each one into a full sentence.
• Length: in LP’s MPT4 sample items, this paragraph is limited to 50 words. UASA papers are set by schools, so follow the limit printed on the paper.

Bahagian D: the essay (20 marks, the biggest section)

• Structure: Pendahuluan (introduction) → Isi (content: each point with an explanation and an example) → Penutup (conclusion).
• Length: in the MPT4 sample items, the essay is based on a picture and must be 80 to 100 words long. For UASA, follow the limit on the paper.
• Toolkit: prepare some go-to opening sentences, linking words (penanda wacana, such as Selain itu, Seterusnya and Akhir sekali) and closing sentences, so your child doesn’t freeze on the day.
• Checking: leave a few minutes to check spelling and imbuhan. Small slips like these are the easiest way to lose marks.

How should my child split the 75 minutes?

Our suggestion, not an official rule: about 25 minutes for A and B, about 45 minutes for the writing in C and D, and 5 minutes to check. Here is the split by section:

The point is to protect writing time, so your child doesn’t spend too long on the multiple-choice questions and run out of time for the essay.

Where do SJKC pupils often get stuck in BM?

Parents often tell us about four sticking points: vocabulary, using grammar, comprehension and starting an essay.

• Not enough vocabulary (Kosa Kata): new words are learned and then forgotten. Passages are full of words they don’t know, and when they write, they run out of words.
• Grammar known but not applied (Tatabahasa): they know the rule, but get it wrong in their own sentences, again and again.
• Reading without understanding (Pemahaman): they finish the passage but don’t know how to answer the questions.
• Not knowing how to start an essay (Karangan): they look at the title and say, “I don’t know what to write.”

Worried that learning three languages at once is too much? Read Will Learning Three Languages Confuse My Child?

How can parents help in the last two weeks?

Our suggestion: do timed practice papers, sort mistakes by rule, write a paragraph a day and skip new questions the night before. Here is how:

1. One or two practice papers: use a 75-minute timer so your child gets used to pacing.
2. Mistakes by rule: if your child got a grammar question wrong, have them practise that rule.
3. A paragraph a day: about the length of a Bahagian C answer. Check just three things: a topic sentence, two or three points and full sentences.
4. An essay toolkit: five openings, five linking words and five closings, stuck above the desk.
5. No new questions the night before: review the mistakes notebook together and make it an early night.

FAQ

When is UASA 2026?

Each school sets its own UASA dates on its school calendar. According to Bernama, on 15 October KPM announced that UASA papers scheduled for the week after the announcement were postponed because of the haze.

Schools will reschedule them and tell parents the new dates, so watch for the announcement from your child’s school.

Was MPT4 also postponed because of the haze?

Only in Johor; everywhere else, MPT4 went ahead on 6 to 8 October as planned. LP moved the affected Johor papers to 20 and 21 October, but on 17 October the Johor government closed schools for five more days from 19 October.

The state government said limited exemptions could be considered for pupils sitting exams, so parents in Johor should follow their school’s notice.

Are UASA and MPT4 the new UPSR?

No. UPSR was abolished in 2021. LP states that neither UASA nor MPT4 replaces UPSR, and neither is meant for comparing pupils or schools.

My child’s BM is weak. How should we prepare before the exam?

Our suggestion: in the short term, focus on writing structure, because writing is worth 30 of the 50 marks. Longer term, find out whether the real gap is vocabulary, grammar, comprehension or writing, and work on that.

For the English paper, read UASA English Format for Years 4–6: The 7 Parts and Writing Templates.

For the essay (Bahagian D), read BM Karangan Tips for SJKC Pupils: Bahagian D Openings, Penanda Wacana and Word Count.

More exam articles: UASA & Exam Guides

Want to know where your child’s BM gets stuck?

YouSeed’s online BM classes for SJKC pupils start with a free 1-to-1 BM assessment that finds your child’s learning gaps in vocabulary, grammar, comprehension and writing. Lessons then build from what your child needs most.

Choose 1-to-1 or a small group of up to five, fully online.

See our online BM classes for SJKC pupils and book a free assessment (the page opens in Chinese; tap EN at the top for English)

Sources: Lembaga Peperiksaan UASA and MPT4 documents (2024–2026), and reports by Bernama, Utusan Malaysia and Sin Chew Daily.