440,682 candidates sit for SPM today

comments     Bernama     Published     Updated

The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination for this year started today throughout the country with the Bahasa Melayu 1 and 2 papers, and the exam will go until Dec 8.

A total of 440,682 candidates had registered to sit for the SPM at 3,501 examination centres, with 34,146 staff appointed to ensure its smooth running.

Of the total, 379,466 candidates are from government schools, government-aided schools and religious schools funded by the government, while 29,799 are private candidates.

Checks by Bernama at several examination centres found many candidates waiting within their school compounds early in the morning, with some of them taking the opportunity to do their final revision before entering the examination hall.

Parents were also seen accompanying candidates to schools to give them support and words of encouragement before the SPM began at 8am.

Muslim parents also took the opportunity to pray and perform special ‘hajat’ prayers while waiting for their children to finish their papers.

In KEDAH, Muhammad Amirundin Abdullah, a Form Five student who suffers from bone cancer in his leg and tumour on his face, was among the candidates who sat for the SPM today at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Malik, Alor Setar.

Also present at the school was state Education director Azuyah Hassan, who was seen giving words of encouragement to Muhammad Amirundin, who was on a wheelchair.

“We have 50 special needs candidates and 13 of them have to sit for the examination in hospitals due to health problems,” she said, adding that 35,524 candidates sat for the SPM at 279 examination centres across the state.

In JOHOR, in order to enable a visually impaired candidate Ding Teck Song sit for the SPM at Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar, Johor Baharu, the state Education Department has provided him with a Braille machine.

The student is among 50,064 candidates sitting for the SPM at 380 examination centres in the state, according to Johor Education director Aminudin Adam.

In PERLIS, state Education director Roslee Ismail said the department had supplied face masks to candidates as the haze might hit the country again.

“We are also working with the Civil Defence Department, police and firemen as preparations to face floods,” he said, adding that 4,058 candidates sat for the SPM across the state.

In MALACCA, there are 14,500 SPM candidates this year, with seven of them being accident victims and having to sit for the examination at three hospitals.

In PERAK, state Education director Rozi Puteh Ismail said the department was targeting 95 percent of candidates to pass the Bahasa Melayu and History papers.

A total of 337 examination centres were opened in the state for 39,102 SPM candidates.

Three sitting for exam at Bentong Prison

In PAHANG, three students sitting for their SPM at the Bentong Prison are among the 22,568 SPM candidates at 238 examination centres in the state.

“Eleven candidates are in hospitals with two of them unable to sit for the examination after being admitted to the intensive care unit due to accidents and dengue fever,” said state Education Department Assessment and Examination sector head, Mohd Razali Mustafar, when contacted.

In SABAH, state Education director Jame Alip advised all 39,862 candidates in the state to stay calm and focussed when answering their papers and reminded invigilators to execute their duties with honesty.

In PENANG, state Education director Shaari Osman said all staff involved had been instructed to follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) to avoid any leaks of the SPM papers.

He said a total of 22,642 candidates were sitting for the examination including 24 students taking their SPM at the Paya Terubong juvenile rehabilitation centre, and 21 candidates at the Tunas Bakti school.

In TERENGGANU, there are 1,235 SPM candidates at 177 centres, including two detention centres at Sekolah Integriti in the Marang Prison and the Marang Tunas Bakti school, and six in hospitals.

In SARAWAK, a total of 36,366 candidates are sitting for the SPM at 285 centres.

- Bernama



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