Alternative assessment ensures quality education for special needs students, says Education Ministry

PUTRAJAYA: The Education Ministry remains committed to strengthening the Secondary School Alternative Assessment (SSAA) to ensure students with special needs obtain high-quality education relevant to current and future needs.

The ministry said that SSAA is a form of specific assessment capable of assessing such students’ abilities and development potential based on the concept of tracking capabilities in incapabilities, adding that the evaluation is aimed at certifying their skills and capabilities through the provision of the Secondary School Alternative Certificate, instead of the regular Sijil Peperiksaan Malaysia (SPM) or Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM).

"The ministry will always work to strengthen education for special needs students through accreditation, motivation and confidence-building.

"Special needs students who finish school are hoped to possess basic skills that will help them excel in fields of work suitable to their capabilities so that they can contribute to the development of Malaysia Madani," the ministry said in a statement here on Monday (Feb 26).

Parents or guardians of the special needs students would be able to track the child’s learning development, which encompasses five domains - spirituality and values; functional academics; personal and skill development; interpersonal and life competencies; as well as career development, it said.

The ministry added that the implementation of the SSAA proved its continued commitment to ensuring the equality of education for all students as contained in the Malaysian Education Development Plan 2013-2025 and reflected its efforts to provide access to the best education for all students.

The SSAA is open for all special needs students in educational institutions registered with the ministry and will be implemented till all SSAA candidates are in the secondary school stage using the Environment-based Assessment Instrument (EBAI) and Alternative Assessment Standards Document. – Bernama