Over 900 Johor students skipped SPM, plan to work in S'pore: State exco

Summary

• Johor education exco Aznan Tamin reveals that more than 900 students in the state skipped the SPM exam last year, believing they could still find lucrative work in Singapore without the certification.

• Aznan urges parents to encourage their children to take the exam instead of dropping out, adding that the state government also encourages dropouts to pursue technical or vocational education.

More than 900 students in Johor have opted to skip the SPM examination for Form 5 students, believing they can still get lucrative pay in Singapore without the certification.

Sharing this at an event yesterday, Johor education exco Aznan Tamin, therefore, urged parents to encourage their children not to drop out and to take the examination. 

“The challenge for us is that Singapore does not see SPM as a requirement for work. Schools must engage parents and students to emphasise the importance of SPM or their future,” the New Straits Times reported him as saying at an event yesterday. 

He added that among measures taken by the state is to establish the Johor Talent Development Council to encourage secondary school dropouts to pursue technical and vocational education and training.

The students in Johor are among about 10,000 students nationwide who did not confirm their attendance for the examination last month, according to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

SPM certification is required for most jobs in Malaysia, including joining the civil service. 

Besides school leavers, many trained professionals including in the healthcare sector are also leaving Malaysia to work in Singapore, where the currency is more than three times higher than the ringgit.

Minister: Govt committed to building schools to ease overcrowding

COMMENT | Bridging the racial divide through our children

MP SPEAKS | TVET pathway to prosperity

Mas Ermieyati wants clean candidate for new UKM vice-chancellor

Amirudin: Selangor to begin Quran-based Stem education this year

Umno launches patriotic school to keep party 'national political backbone'