PETALING JAYA: The 2020 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which has been postponed to next month, should be scrapped altogether, Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said.
Instead, Chong said, certificates should be issued to students based on their teachers’ assessments of their previous tests, trial examination results and coursework.
He said he had sent a letter of appeal to Education Minister Radzi Jidin on the suggestion earlier today.
Given the four-digit daily Covid-19 cases and the extension of the recovery movement control order (RMCO), Chong said, it was unlikely that the SPM examination could be held within the first quarter of the year.
“An uncertain wait for the examination is definitely a strain on the students, is most unproductive and will delay their further studies,” he said in a statement.
“For the sake of the students, I hope the education minister will make a quick decision so they can end their long and stressful wait.”
All major examinations in the country were postponed last year due to the third wave of Covid-19 infections and lockdown restrictions in various states.
The SPM, Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM) and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) are scheduled to begin on Feb 22 while the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) is set to be held on March 8.- FMT