KUALA LUMPUR: Fewer Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students were absent from all their written papers last year, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
According to the Education Ministry, 6,246 students were absent last year compared to 8,676 the year before.
“The downward trend of no-shows by SPM students has recorded a decrease for three years in a row from 2022 to 2024.
“This reduction shows an increase in awareness among students of the importance of SPM and is also a result of various targeted interventions,” it said in a written reply on Thursday (July 31).
For those who did not attend the SPM exams last year, the Education Ministry said these students were given a chance to register as private candidates to take the SPM in the subsequent year.
“The Education Ministry also provides a patching SPM certification, where the best results are combined in one certificate,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry said it has an outreach programme jointly conducted by the state education department, the district education office (PPD), and the local community.
“In this programme, 883 primary school students and 1,990 secondary school students successfully returned to the education system last year,” it said.
The Education Ministry was responding to Zahari Kechik (Perikatan-Jeli), who asked about the ministry’s response to those who refused to sit for SPM.
