IPOH: Some 52,000 additional reference books for SPM would be distributed to students who are weak in certain subjects, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
The Perak Mentri Besar said the distribution of the books for the six core subjects would be handed out gradually to those students according to their weaknesses in certain subjects.
Saarani said during the pilot project launched last year, a total of 4,000 books were distributed.
“For this year, Bahasa Melayu and Sejarah books will be printed out first, and handed to students requiring additional guidance in both subjects.
“After that, books for the other subjects will be printed,” he told a press conference during the symbolic presentation to five students at his office here on Wednesday (May 7).
Saarani added that the books were part of the “Tuisyen Cikgu Saarani” programme developed through strategic collaboration between Yayasan Perak, the state Education Department, and the state government.
He said this strategic partnership is part of the state government’s ongoing efforts to support students in Perak to improve their academic performance, especially in preparation for SPM through focused and targeted programmes.
Saarani said that under the programme, focused on interventions such as extra classes, free meals, motivational programmes, and academic screenings have also been carried out.
“During the pilot project last year, when the books were distributed, the results were very positive.
“Following this success, the current focus is on the two compulsory subjects—Bahasa Melayu and History.
“These books will complement four more core subject reference books—English, Mathematics, Islamic Education, and Science—that are currently in the process of being published,” he said.
Saarani said this completes a series of high-impact intervention programmes implemented by Yayasan Perak to support SPM student excellence.
He said these interventions contributed significantly to the improvement of the 2024 SPM results in Perak, with the state’s average grade improving to 4.63 compared to 4.75 the previous year. “A total of 25,774 candidates, or 93.86%, qualified for the SPM certificate, while the number of students who scored As rose to 927, including nine with straight A+.
“Of course, this does not mean our programme alone produced these results, as teachers and schools also have their own initiatives,” he said.
