KUCHING, Jan 4 — Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen today urged the Education Ministry to call off last year’s Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations that were postponed to the first quarter of 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the SPM certificate should instead be issued to the students based on their past school examinations, course works, and mock examination results assessed by their respective teachers.
“Looking at the daily new Covid-19 cases and in light of the further extension of recovery movement control order (RMCO) to March 31, it seems unlikely that the situation will be safe for the students to sit for the SPM examination to be held in the first quarter of 2021,” Chong said in a statement.
The Sarawak DAP chairman said the Covid-19 situation in the country is getting worse than last year when the original SPM examination dates were postponed.
“Therefore, with such four-digit daily new infection cases, all the more the SPM examination should not be held in the first quarter of this year.
For the affected students, he said they have been put to a long wait and stress to have their examination postponed to the first quarter of this year.
He added that an indefinite wait for the examination is definitely a strain on the students, and is most unproductive and unhealthy and will delay their further study.
“Therefore, I have today faxed a letter of appeal to Minister of Education Mohd Radzi Md Jidin, urging him to do away with the SPM examination and adopt the school assessment system as the basis of the SPM certificate.
“For the sake of the students, I hope the minister will make a quick and favourable decision so that they can end their long, uncertain and stressful wait,” Chong said.
Source: MALAYMAIL
