Sarawak education director: 800 candidates absent from 2024 SPM exams
by Aliah Abdullah · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (April 24): A total of 800 students out of the 33,039 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2024 candidates in Sarawak were reported absent during the examination period, revealed State Education director Omar Mahli.
He stated that while this year’s State Average Grade (GPN) is at 4.84, an increase of 0.08 points compared to last year, the non-attendance of SPM candidates remain concerning.
“Based on the report we received, many of the students chose to work in order to financially support their family.
“There are also cases where the students were unable to sit for the exams due to health issues,” he told a press conference at the Sarawak Education Department here today.
In this regard, Omar said various initiatives have been undertaken to address this issue, including a government-led intervention that involves home visits to engage with parents and discuss the best solutions in the students’ best interest.
Additionally, counselling programmes are being provided to students to boost their awareness about the importance of education, he added.
He also said schools are collaborating with the government to assess the factors contributing to absenteeism among SPM candidates through post-mortem analyses to better support students in need.
“We are ready to provide students with assistance, whether it is financial or accommodation, to support them in their academic journey.”
Adding on, Omar noted that there is a significant improvement in the quality of education in both urban and rural areas.
As such, he said the government is committed to addressing the issue to ensure that all students in Sarawak have equal and unlimited access to education.
“We want to give students the opportunity to attend school and pursue their studies to the highest level.
“If there are any problems, we are more than happy to offer our assistance to resolve the issue,” he added.