- Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia
-
The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), or the Malaysian Certificate of Education, is a national examination taken by all fifth-year secondary school students in Malaysia. It is set and examined by the Malaysian Examinations Syndicate (Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia).
SPM is equivalent to the O-Level and is the second last public examination at the secondary school level before the entry into a first bachelor degree course at a university. The Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), being a pre-university study and equivalent to the A-Level, is the last public examination at the secondary school level. Other available pre-university studies in Malaysia include matriculation, foundation study, A-Level, etc., which are conducted at a college or university.
Contents
History
The SPM is equivalent to the British GCSE, and provides the opportunity for Malaysians to continue their studies to pre-university level. Up to 1978, the examination was handled by UCLES, which still advises the Malaysian Examinations Syndicate on standards. The English paper is separately graded by the national examination board and UCLES, and both grades will be displayed on the statement slip. On the real certificate, only the national examination board's grade is listed. The minimum requirement to get a certificate is a pass in Bahasa Malaysia.
Generally, the SPM is taken at the age of 17, though students who attended pre-secondary school class would take it at the age of 18. Previously, students who successfully passed their Penilaian Tahap Satu (PTS) examination at Primary Three and chose to skip a year of primary school education would take their SPM a year earlier, at the age of 16. This was discontinued in 2000. Students who are taught at home generally take the SPM at some point at the end of their secondary education as well.
Subjects
Compulsory subjects
Certain subjects are made compulsory for students. These are [1][2][3]:
Code Subject (Official Name) Subject (English Name) Examination Language 1103 Bahasa Melayu Malay language Malay 1119 Bahasa Inggeris English language English 1223 Pendidikan Islam * Islamic Studies Malay 1225 Pendidikan Moral ** Moral Malay 1249 Sejarah History Malay 1449 Mathematics Mathematics English and Malay 1511 Science *** Science English and Malay *
**
***Compulsory for all Muslim students except for students in Religious Science stream, who are required to take their respective electives in lieu of this subject
Compulsory for all non-Muslim students
Compulsory for students in the Commerce, and Literature and Arts streams only. Students in the Pure Science, Religious Science, and Humanities Science streams are required to take their respective Science electives in lieu of this subject (see below)Elective subjects
Arts and Health
Code Subject (Official Name) Subject (English Name) Examination Language 2611 Pendidikan Seni Visual Visual Arts Education Malay 2621 Pendidikan Muzik Music Education Malay 4571 Pengetahuan Sains Sukan Sports Science Knowledge Malay Information Technology
Code Subject (Official Name) Subject (English Name) Examination Language 3765 Information and Communications Technology Information and Communications Technology English 8401 Fundamentals of Programming Fundamentals of Programming English 8402 Programming and Development Tools Programming and Development Tools English 8701 Aplikasi Komputer Dalam Perniagaan Computer Applications in Business Malay 8703 Teknologi Pejabat Perniagaan Business Office Technology Malay Languages and Literature
Code Subject (Official Name) Subject (English Name) Examination Language 2205 Literature in English Literature in English English 2215 Kesusasteraan Melayu Malay Literature Malay 2361 Bahasa Arab Tinggi Higher Arabic Arabic 6351 Bahasa Cina Chinese Language Chinese (Mandarin) 6354 Bahasa Tamil Tamil Language Tamil 6355 English for Science and Technology English for Science and Technology English 6356 Bahasa Iban Iban Language Iban 6362 Bahasa Arab Komunikasi Arabic Language For Communication Arabic 9216 Kesusasteraan Cina Chinese Literature Chinese 9217 Kesusasteraan Tamil Tamil Literature Tamil 9303 Bahasa Perancis French Language French 9378 Bahasa Punjabi Punjabi Language Punjabi Technical and Vocational
Code Subject (Official Name) Subject (English Name) Examination Language 3528 Sains Pertanian Agricultural Science Malay 3529 Pengajian Agroteknologi Agrotechnology Studies Malay 3758 Ekonomi Rumahtangga Home Economics Malay 3759 Engineering drawing Engineering Drawing English 3760 Pengajian Kejuruteraan Mekanikal Mechanical Engineering Studies English 3761 Pengajian Kejuruteraan Awam Civil Engineering Studies English 3762 Pengajian Kejuruteraan Elektrik dan Elektronik Electrical and Electronic Engineering Studies English 3763 Rekacipta Invention Malay 3764 Engineering technology Engineering Technology English 3766 Pengurusan Makanan Food Management Malay 3767 Pola Pakaian Fashion Design Malay 7101 Pembinaan Domestik Domestic Construction Malay 7102 Membuat Perabot Furniture Making Malay 7103 Kerja Paip Domestik Domestic Plumbing Malay 7104 Pendawaian Domestik Domestic Wiring Malay 7105 Kimpalan Arka dan Gas Arc and Gas Welding Malay 7106 Menservis Automobil Automobile Servicing Malay 7107 Menservis Motosikal Motorcycle Servicing Malay 7107 Menservis Motosikal Motorcycle Servicing Malay 7108 Menservis Peralatan Penyejukan dan Penyamanan Udara Air-Conditioning Servicing Malay 7109 Menservis Peralatan Elektrik Domestik Domestic Electrical Appliances Servicing Malay 7201 Rekaan dan Jahitan Pakaian Design and Tailoring Malay 7202 Katering dan Penyajian Catering Service Malay 7203 Pemprosesan Makanan Food Processing Malay 7204 Penjagaan Muka dan Dandanan Rambut Facial and Hair Care Malay 7205 Asuhan dan Pendidikan Awal Kanak-Kanak Infant Care and Early Childhood Education Malay 7206 Gerontologi Asas dan Perkhidmatan Geriatrik Geriatic Services Malay 7301 Landskap dan Nurseri Nursery and Landscape Malay 7302 Akuakultur dan Haiwan Rekreasi Aquaculture and Pets Malay 7303 Tanaman Makanan Food and Crop Cultivation Malay 7401 Seni Reka Tanda Signage Design Malay 7402 Hiasan Dalaman Asas Basic Interior Decoration Malay 7403 Produksi Multimedia Multimedia Production Malay 7404 Grafik Berkomputer Computer Graphics Malay 8501 Membuat Pakaian Dress Making Malay 8502 Menservis TV Television Servicing Malay 8511 Roti Dan Masakan Yis Bread and Yeast Food Malay 8512 Patisserie Patisserie Malay 8521 Persolekan Make Up Malay 8522 Dandanan Rambut Hair Dressing Malay 8531 Pengajian Perkembangan Kanak-Kanak Child Development Studies Malay 8532 Perkhidmatan Awal Kanak-Kanak Early Childhood Service Malay 8541 Penyediaan Masakan Barat dan Timur Western & Eastern Food Preparation Malay 8542 Penyajian Makanan dan Minuman Food and Beverage Catering Malay 8811 Teknologi Bengkel Mesin Machine Workshop Technology Malay 8812/1 Kerja Menggegas Maintenance Work Malay 8812/3 Kerja Melarik Lathe Working Malay 8813 Lukisan Geometri dan Mesin Geometric Drawing and Machines Malay 8813 Teknologi Binaan Bangunan Building Technology Malay 8815/1 Kerja Kayu Woodworking Malay 8815/3 Kerja Bata Brickwork Malay 8816 Lukisan Geometri dan Pembinaan Bangunan Geometric Drawing and Building Construction Malay 8817 Teknologi Elektrik Electrical Engineering Technology Malay 8818/1 Pemasangan Elektrik Electrical Installation Malay 8818/3 Kawalan Elektrik Electric Control Malay 8819 Lukisan Geometri dan Elektrik Geometric Drawing and Electricity Malay 8820 Teknologi Elektronik Electronic Technology Malay 8821/1 Menservis Radio Radio Servicing Malay 8821/3 Menservis TV Television Servicing Malay 8822 Lukisan Geometri dan Elektronik Geometric Drawing and Electronics Malay 8823 Teknologi Kimpalan dan Fabrikasi Logam Welding and Metal Fabrication Technology Malay 8824/1 Kerja Kimpalan Arka Arc Welding Malay 8824/3 Kerja Kimpalan Gas Gas Welding Malay 8825 Lukisan Geometri dan Fabrikasi Logam Geometric Drawing and Metal Fabrication Malay 8826 Teknologi Automotif Automotive Technology Malay 8827/1 Auto Asas Basic Automotive Malay 8827/2 Kerja Elektrik dan Diesel Electrical & Diesel Work Malay 8828 Lukisan Geometri dan Automotif Geometric Drawing and Automotives Malay 8829 Teknologi Penyejukan dan Penyamanan Udara Refrigeration Technology Malay 8830 Memasang dan Menservis Penyejuk dan Penyaman Udara Installation and Servicing of Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Malay 8831 Lukisan Geometri dan Penyaman Udara Geometric Drawing and Air-conditioning Malay 8881 Pengeluaran Tanaman Crop Production Malay 8882 Pengeluaran Ternakan Stockbreeding Malay 8883 Hortikultur Hiasan dan Landskap Decorative Horticulture and Landscaping Malay 8884 Kejenteraan Ladang Plantation Engineering Malay 8885 Pengurusan Ladang Plantation Management Malay Science and Mathematics
Code Subject (Official Name) Subject (English Name) Examination Language 3472 Additional Mathematics Additional Mathematics English and Malay 4531 Physics Physics English and Malay 4541 Chemistry Chemistry English and Malay 4551 Biology Biology English and Malay 4561 Additional Science Additional Science English and Malay 4581 Applied Science Applied Science English and Malay In 2003, the medium of instruction for the science and mathematics subjects was switched from Malay to English. Due to this transition, students taking science and mathematics subjects can choose to respond in the examinations in either English or Malay. The Ministry of Education has since announced a reversal of this policy, set to take effect in 2021.[4]
Social Sciences & Religion
Code Subject (Official Name) Subject (English Name) Examination Language 2280 Geografi Geography Malay 3754 Pengajian Keusahawanan Entrepreneurial Studies Malay 3755 Perdagangan Business Malay 3756 Prinsip Perakaunan Principles of Accounting Malay 3757 Ekonomi Asas Basic Economics Malay 5226 Tasawwur Islam Islamic Worldviews Malay 5227 Pendidikan Al-Quran dan As-Sunnah Al-Quran and As-Sunnah Education Malay 5228 Pendidikan Syariah Islamiah Syariah Islamiah Education Malay 8702 Perakaunan Perniagaan Business Accounting Malay 9221 Bible Knowledge Bible Knowledge English Results
The evaluation scheme is fully exam-based. The examination for SPM usually takes place around November and lasts for more than 3 weeks. Papers are also scheduled in June for students who wish to resit for examinations they failed the previous year, but only for the compulsory subjects.
When releasing the results, only the letter grades (and not the actual scores) are made known to the candidates. Candidates may request a remarking (regrading) if they suspect errors in the original marking. Although no list of rankings is released to the public, the names of the top ranked students in the country and in each state are released to the press. These students may achieve the level of temporary celebrities, and may even be approached by companies to advertise their products.[5] Politicians usually visit some of these top ranked students a day before the official results in order to congratulate them. Because the SPM examination is the final nationally standardised examination taken by the majority of Malaysians, many scholarships are awarded based on SPM results.
Since 2010, however, the Ministry of Education has imposed a 10-subject limit on every candidate, while lowering the minimum number of subjects from 8 to 6. Students are allowed to take 2 additional subjects (comprising Arabic, Chinese, Tamil, Iban, Kadazandusun languages and Bible Knowledge) but they will not be taken into consideration for government scholarships.[6]
Grade system
Candidates are assigned grades based on their scores in each subject. The exact grading scale used every year has never been made public.
Since 2009, grading system used has a range from A+ (the highest grade) to G (for "gagal" or fail). The previous system assigned a grade point and a letter to each range, with 1A ("1" being the grade point and "A" the letter grade) as highest range and 9G the lowest.
The table below shows the comparison between previous grade system and the current one. Note that A+ is a higher grade than 1A.
2000 - 2008 From 2009 Grade Value A+ 0 1A A 1 2A A- 2 3B B+ 3 4B B 4 5C C+ 5 6C C 6 7D D 7 8E E 8 9G G 9 References
- ^ MyExam.com: Apa itu SPM? (in Malay)
- ^ Ministry of Education, Malaysia: Secondary School Subjects
- ^ Ministry of Education, Malaysia: Jadual Waktu SPM (in Malay)
- ^ "PPSMI: Dr Mahathir minta undian pembaca blog". Malaysiakini.com. 9 Julai 2009. http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/108156.
- ^ Stamp of approval
- ^ "Languages and Bible Knowledge as electives". The Star Online. 25 December 2009. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/12/25/nation/5368219&sec=nation.
Categories:- School qualifications
- School examinations
- Standardized tests
- Education in Malaysia
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
