What you need to know when face-to-face classes resume

Below are some frequently asked questions relating to schools and institutions under the Education Ministry, and public exams to be held next year:

School semesters for 2021:

Q: When will the 2021 school year begin?

A: Students will begin school in 2021 as below:

i. Physical classes in school starting on Jan 20:

> All preschool and primary school pupils.

> All secondary school students except for Form Two and Three students.

> All Form Five students from 2020, who will be sitting for the SPM exams.

> All special needs students under the Special Needs Integration Programme (PPKI) in primary and secondary schools.

> Form Six college students, Genius@Pintar (KGP) and Genius Insan College (KGI) students, except those in Levels Two and Three.

ii. Home-based learning (PdPR) starting on Jan 20 and physical classes in school starting March 8:

> Forms Two and Three students.

> KGP and KGI Levels Two and Three students.

Q: When will vocational college students begin their lessons in 2021?

A: It will start on Jan 20 for Diploma Vokasional Malaysia (DVM) students and Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM) Semesters Two and Four students.

Management of the Textbook Loan Scheme (SPBT)

Q: When does the process of returning and distributing the textbooks for students begin, besides Form Five students for the year 2020?

A: The school will prepare a schedule to return and distribute the books in stages, according to the school’s capacity to avoid congestion.

Q: When will Form Five students who are sitting for their SPM on Feb 22 be required to return their textbooks under the SPBT?

A: After completing their SPM.

Exams and assessments

Q: Will the SPM, SVM, Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) proceed?

A: Yes. The SPM, SVM, and STAM will start on Feb 22; the STPM will start on March 8.

Q: Will the centralised assessments for Form Five students originally scheduled for December 2020 be postponed?

A: Yes. The Education Ministry will reschedule the assessments and a new date will be announced later.

Q: Will the SPM exam trials be rescheduled?

A: Yes, according to the needs of the school.

Q: Will the deadline to submit the SPM trial results on the Sistem Analisis Peperiksaan Sekolah (SAPS) be extended?

A: It will be extended to a date that will be announced later.

Q: Will there be a deadline extension to submit the postponed STPM 2020 Semester 3 and STPM 2021 Semester 1 coursework marks?

A: Yes, the latest calendar for the STPM 2020 and the STPM 2021 coursework is available at www.mpm.edu.my.

Q: Will the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) be postponed?

A: Yes, the new date of the MUET written test Session 2 is on Jan 30, whereas the Matriculation MUET written test and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) readiness test are on Feb 6. The Matriculation MUET oral test and the CEFR readiness test are on Jan 26 and 27, and on Feb 2,3, 4 and 8 respectively.

Q: How do candidates who do not have their MUET Session 1 or Session 2 results due to the postponement of the tests apply for entry at higher education institutions (IPT)?

A: The Malaysian Examinations Council will send the “registration data” for the affected MUET Session 1 or Session 2 test candidates to the UPU system. These candidates can sit for the MUET when they are in the IPT.

Q: Will schools or educational institutions be allowed to carry out international exams when they are closed?

A: Yes. Candidates need to get a letter to sit for the exams from the schools or educational institutions as validation. The exams must be conducted according to the SOP provided.

Special School Admission Assessment (PKSK)

Q: Will the PKSK for students entering Forms One and Four for 2021 be postponed?

A: Yes. The new PKSK dates for students entering Form One are Jan 20 to 29 while for Form Four students are Feb 15 to 25.

Q: When will the PKSK results be announced?

A: Form One results will be announced on March 12 and Form Four results on April 5.

Management and operations of IPG and matriculation colleges

Q: When are IPG and matriculation college students required to return for face-to-face classes?

A: Matriculation college students will return on Jan 4 while the IPG students will return to campuses on Jan 17.

Source: Education Ministry