STPM results: No urban-rural gap

Malaysian Examinations Council chairman Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Ekhwan Toriman during a press conference on the announcement of the STPM 2021 results, August 18, 2022. With him is Malaysian Examinations Council chief executive Adnan Husin. — GLENN GUAN/The Star

SELAYANG: Rural students are on par with their urban peers in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) 2021 examination results for the first time since 2013.

Malaysian Examinations Council (MEC) chairman Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Ekhwan Toriman said there was no gap between urban and rural students’ Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) last year.

“Both segments achieved a CGPA of 2.79 in STPM 2021,” he said when announcing the results yesterday.

Noting that the national CGPA rose to 2.79 from 2.78 in STPM 2020, he said the achievement of candidates in 2021 was considered equal to those from the previous year.

He added that it was interesting that there was no gap between urban and rural students in STPM 2021, despite candidates sitting for the examination online.

“This is likely because the examination was delayed and students had a longer time to prepare,” said Mohd Ekhwan, who is also Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia vice-chancellor.

MEC chief executive Adnan Husin said STPM 2021 candidates did online learning in addition to 20 weeks of face-to-face lessons before they took their exams.

“This is compared to 2020 when those 20 weeks included face-to-face lessons and online learning.

“STPM 2021 candidates had more time to prepare for the exams,” he said.

Adnan also pointed out that the number of STPM 2021 candidates who did not turn up for their examination was lower compared with the previous year.

“Those who were absent had Covid-19 issues. There were also those who had stopped schooling,” he said.

It was announced that out of the 42,369 candidates who registered for the examination last year, 40,926 (or 96.59%) sat for their papers.

A total of 874 candidates (or 2.14%) scored a CGPA of 4.00 and of that number, 584 (66.82%) are from low-income families.

A total of 36 candidates scored distinctions in all five subjects they took, an increase from 23 in STPM 2020, while 860 obtained 4As in STPM 2021, also an increase from 744 in STPM 2020.