All the best, SPM candidates!

GEORGE TOWN: The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam has started with 19,501 candidates in Penang sitting for it on Monday (Feb 20).

Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying said five out of them who tested positive for Covid-19 will take it at a later date after they have recovered.

She said the remaining would be sitting for their exams at 147 centres in five districts throughout the state.

"There are 403,637 candidates taking the exam in 3,355 centres nationwide.

"In Penang, we have five students who are positive for Covid-19 out of total 19,501 of them, while 15 centres at hospitals are on standby.

"I wish all of them the best and thank staff as well as all personnel on duty," she said after visiting students undergoing the exam at St. Xavier’s Institution on Monday (Feb 20).

Also present were Penang education deputy director Abdul Said Hussain and the school's principal Goh Hong Peng.

After inspecting the exam hall for preparations, they then visited two classrooms where students were busy with last-minute preparations before their test.

IN JOHOR BARU, a total of 48,759 candidates in Johor will be sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2022 written tests from today.

Johor Education Department deputy director (school management) Anuar Sukiran said that the students will be taking their exams at 367 examination centres statewide with 4,823 invigilators.

Anuar SMK Bandar Baru Uda principal Suriyah Mohamed Lahir (right) speaking to some of the students before the start of the SPM exams.

Anuar and SMK Bandar Baru Uda principal Suriyah Mohamed Lahir (right) speaking to some of the students before the start of the SPM exams.

“There are also 1,796 private SPM candidates and 149 students with special needs who are taking their exam starting today,” he said when met by reporters after visiting students at SMK Bandar Baru Uda, here on Monday.

Anuar added that the department has made all the necessary preparations to ensure that the students can take their exams smoothly and without any interruption.

“We hope that they can take their exam in a calm and safe environment so that they can achieve good results,” he added.

Asked about the operation procedure for the students living on Mersing Island, Anuar explained that all of the students have been placed at boarding schools on the mainland.

“There are only primary schools on the island in Mersing, and those who are taking the SPM examination have been placed at the boarding school to sit for their test,” he said.

A total of 403,637 candidates will be sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2022 written tests involving 3,355 examination centres nationwide.

The SPM examination, which starts today, will end on March 15.