Issuing SPM cert based on merit not reflective of true achievement – S’wak Mapim chief
KUCHING: The suggestion to scrap the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2020 examination can be seen as a detrimental step especially if the certification for Form 5 students of 2020 school session is based only on certain criteria, said Malaysian Parents Consultative Association (Mapim) Sarawak branch chairman Omar Immun.
“If the certification for these students is given based on the criteria of previous examination results, mock examinations and course works, it may not reflect the overall achievement of the students.
“It is possible there were times that the students did not have the best focus, and there are also other aspects that should be considered, because this is the first time such thing occurred in the history of national education,” he said when contacted yesterday.
He was asked to comment on the suggestion made by Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, who said it was still unsafe for the examinations to be held in the first quarter of this year judging by the number of new daily Covid-19 infections.
Chong had proposed that the SPM certificate be issued to the students based on their past school examinations, course work and/or mock examination results assessed by their teachers.
Omar, who is also Mapim Malaysia vice-president 1, believes the 2020 examination, scheduled to take place at the end of next month, can go on following the discretion of the Ministry of Education (MOE).
“I personally am of the view that the MOE must have set a standard to conduct the SPM 2020 examination in a capacity appropriate to the current situation because the current Covid-19 pandemic is completely beyond human control.
“The decision taken by the MOE must have received feedback from several other bodies and institutions in the country,” he said.
Omar pointed out that excuses such as lack of mood to do revision or not studying enough among students also cannot be used as a reason to cancel the public examination.
He said that during this pandemic, the only acceptable excuse is when the number of positive cases continue to rise.
“Actually, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) should be applicable to all levels of society if we really want to bring down the number of positive cases to one digit, but a lot of people are frustrated with the double standards practised by certain quarters where SOP compliance is concerned.
“What is important now is that the government and politicians should stop playing sentiments and instead should take a look at how to help the people as much as possible. Everyone should unite and help each other to ensure our harmonious way of living in this state is preserved,” he said.