SPM exam papers should not be cramped together


Seeking divine help: A student praying before sitting for a paper in the 2015 SPM examination. — Filepic
I WRITE on behalf of students, parents and teachers regarding the new 2020 SPM exam schedule which was released yesterday (Nov 16). Bible Knowledge is scheduled for the afternoon of March 1, 2021. But on the same day, in the morning, Mathematics Paper I and Paper II will be held. One can only imagine the psychological state and stress of the students after sitting for two mentally exhausting papers in the morning.

I find this scheduling ridiculous as surely the students will be too tired in the afternoon to concentrate on a totally different paper from the ones in the morning.

I believe that psychological factors were not taken into consideration when the SPM examination papers were scheduled. It is shocking that important papers are cramped together to save time and money or for whatever reasons the members of the examination board had in mind.

It is more reasonable to schedule the religious papers, both Islamic Studies and Bible Knowledge, at a better time, to allow students to focus on these subjects and to reflect the importance that this country holds for religious studies. It is these religious studies that help students make important decisions later in life.

I, therefore, urge the members of the SPM examination board to take these factors into consideration and urgently reschedule the 2020 SPM examination to make it more reasonable and less stressful.

ASSOC PROF DR PETER JOSEPH PEREIRA

Subang Indah

Selangor

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letters , SPM , exam

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