KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 8,076 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates were absent for all written examination papers in 2024, a decline from 10,160 in the previous year, Wong Kah Woh told the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Feb 18).
The Deputy Education Minister said that 6,231 absent candidates were from government schools, compared to 8,676 in 2023.
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“This data clearly shows a downward trend in student absenteeism,” he said.
Wong was responding to a question from Zakri Hasan (PN-Kangar), who sought clarification on whether the 10,000 candidates reportedly absent for the first paper would be given a chance to sit for a second session of the SPM exam.
While acknowledging the decrease in absenteeism, Wong emphasised that the issue remains serious.
“Through various interventions, initiatives, and continuous efforts by the ministry, we have seen a reduction in absenteeism for the 2024 SPM,” he said.
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Among the reasons recorded for students missing the exams were employment, family issues, natural disasters, and health problems.
A total of 386,739 new candidates registered for at least six subjects this year, with 345,129 under the ministry's schools.
He said the ministry has introduced several intervention measures to address absenteeism in the SPM examination. Daily monitoring of student attendance is carried out through the eKehadiran system within the Student Database Application (APDM), enabling schools to take early intervention steps.
The Intervention Task Force for At-Risk SPM Students has been activated at all levels, with real-time tracking via a dedicated dashboard. To further tackle attendance issues, the Education Ministry hosts the National Performance Dialogue to discuss challenges related to candidate participation, said Wong.
In addition, the ministry's targeted engagement initiatives are being implemented, including the Ziarah Cakna Programme, parental consultation sessions, collaboration with Parent-Teacher Associations, and engagement with parents, the community, and the private sector.
The ministry is also working closely with key agencies such as the National Disaster Management Agency, the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Fire and Rescue Department, the Civil Defence Force, the Meteorological Department, the Social Welfare Department, the Health Ministry and state education departments to ensure the smooth administration of examinations, particularly during the monsoon season or in the event of floods.
These measures will continue to be refined to improve student attendance, added Wong.
