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PETALING JAYA: Anxious parents and nervous students urge the government to set dates for the 2020 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams, as they are concerned that the recent surge in Covid-19 cases could result in further delay.
Stakeholders expect SPM exams to begin Jan.6 as scheduled, even as many schools are closed and students have returned to studies online with more states under the conditional motion control order (MCO).
The SPM written exam was initially scheduled for November 16 to December 7, but was postponed from January 6 to February 9 of next year due to the pandemic.
The uncertainty is causing distress for students, said the president of the Association of Private Colleges and Universities of Malaysia (Mapcu), Datuk Dr Parmjit Singh.
“We need to do everything we can to facilitate their progress (towards tertiary education),” he told The Star. He added that if other international bodies could take their GSCE O and A Levels exams, Malaysia should also be able to do so in the interest of students. .
If the exams are carried out as scheduled, the Ministry of Education should work out a strategy together with the National Security Council (MKN), said the president of the National Association of Private Educational Institutions, Prof. Assoc Elajsolan Mohan.
“This would help ease anxiety among parents and, more importantly, among students who need to focus on their exam preparations,” he said, adding that the SPM should not be postponed any longer.
“The principals of our schools are already in a quandary, hoping there will be no change in the dates,” he said, adding that they would heed any instructions from the authorities regarding the dates of the exams.
Malaysia’s Education Parent Action Group Chair Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said a clear standard operating procedure (SOP) was needed for PMS testing during the pandemic, in case the current increase in Covid-19 cases.
“The most important national test to be conducted during a pandemic needs to be tested carefully and urgently, and the best time to test it is during testing, where adjustments can still be made.
“Unfortunately, even the SPM rehearsals are on hold due to the conditional motion control order and school administrators are struggling to find the best way to conduct the rehearsals,” he added.
He also said postponing exams would have “a massive ripple effect down the road,” as Form Six enrollment, college courses and admissions would all suffer.
Parents and students are also concerned about missing lessons at school and some are dependent on tuition centers, he said.
Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education president Mak Chee Kin said parents did not want more delays in SPM exams and many were concerned that online learning had not been too effective.
“There is no clear direction from the ministry on this matter. GDS may not take place if certain areas and states will still be under CMCO, ”said Mak.
The general secretary of the National Union of Teaching Professions, Harry Tan, said that teachers were in a difficult position as they had to deliberate between the future of their students and their safety.
“One thing is for sure, teachers will always put the interest of the students in their care as their top priority.
“If students fall behind, rest assured that teachers will do everything they can to get their students up to speed
“However, to face the pandemic, teachers will obey the orders of the authorities,” he said.
S. Sri Murugan, an English teacher at a secondary school in Subang Jaya, said it was all “a blur.”
If everyone strictly adheres to the SOP and the guidelines, he is optimistic that Form Five students will be able to take their exams on time, but he said he would not be surprised if the SPM was postponed.
He questioned the logistics of how the PMS exams would be conducted.
“Will the teachers move in to supervise the exams or will the schools handle the SPM exams with their own teachers?
“I hope that the school reopens and that the Form Five students have the priority of attending the school as it is their final stage.
“Let them complete their tests and go through the final rounds of review before school is out,” he said.
The Education Ministry said it would not comment on this matter for now.
When schools began to close after the increase in Covid-19 cases, the Ministry of Education published a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) for schools with positive cases, those in areas under the conditional MCO, and those in red zones with infections within the community. The FAQ, posted on October 14, indicated that mock exams may be postponed to a suitable date.
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