Results to be used to determine proficiency in HOTS questions

PUTRAJAYA: The latest Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination results will be used as a benchmark for determining whether students have successfully grasped answering Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) questions.

Education director-general Datuk Dr Amin Senin said that overall, 66% of SPM 2017 candidates have answered HOTS questions well.

“Based on the quality of answers, 27% of candidates have a high level of mastery of HOTS questions, 39% at the average level and 34% have a low mastery level,” he said when announcing the results analysis. .

Introduced in 2014, Dr Amin said HOTS questions test a candidate’s ability to apply knowledge and skills, and correctly assess when reasoning their answers in order to solve problems, make decisions, innovate and create.

He said these questions are divided into four skill categories – application, analysis, assessing and creation.

Of the four skills, he said the highest percentage of candidates produced high-quality answers for application-type questions, at 41%.

“Candidates were able to apply knowledge and skills, and assess based on facts, theories, concepts, principles and rules correctly,” he explained.

He also said the ministry will gradually increase the percentage of HOTS questions to 50% by 2020.

In 2017, 25% of the questions were HOTS and it will be 30% for SPM 2018, he explained.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak conveyed his congratulations to SPM candidates who achieved excellent results in the examination last year.

The Prime Minister advised the unsuccessful candidates not to lose hope but to take up whatever opportunity they could.

“The #SPM2017 results are out today. Congratulations to all the candidates who achieved excellent results! The others must not despair. A new life is beginning; there are many opportunities for all,” he said on Twitter.