‘SPM 2024 absentees down due to interventions'
He said the decline was the result of various interventions carried out by the ministry to encourage students to attend and sit for the examination.
He also said the number of candidates from educational institutions under the ministry dropped from 8,676 in 2023 to 6,246 this time around.
Among the initiatives introduced, he added, were the activation of the Students at Risk Intervention Task Force, home visits (ziarah cakna), daily monitoring by schools, and early detection of students at risk of falling behind since Form Four.
'These measures have successfully raised candidates' awareness of the importance of sitting for the SPM examination and ensured that support from the surrounding community was also mobilised to encourage candidates to sit for their examination,' he said when announcing the SPM 2024 results analysis yesterday. Azman also said that 57.8% of those absent from educational institutions under the ministry were working.
Another 35.5% were absent due to family-related issues, 4.7% due to health problems, and the remainder for other reasons, he added.
The National Average Grade (GPN) improved to 4.49 in 2024, compared to 4.60 the previous year. A lower GPN score indicates better overall performance.
The GPN for urban and rural candidates stood at 4.47 and 4.92, respectively, marking an improvement compared to the previous year's scores of 4.58 and 5.01.
For the third consecutive year, candidates from the Integrity Schools – located in correctional centres – and the Henry Gurney Schools under the Prisons Department achieved a 100% pass rate.
Azman said about 355,933 (94%) of the candidates qualified for the SPM certificate, an increase from 93.5% in 2022. 'This is the best result since 2013, when passing Bahasa Melayu and History became compulsory to qualify for the certificate,' he added.
He also said the number of candidates scoring all As rose to 14,179 (3.7%), up from 11,713 (3.1%) in 2023.
Additionally, 136,791 candidates (36.1%) obtained at least a pass (minimum grade E) in all subjects taken, an increase from 35.2% in 2023.
Overall, he said that compared with SPM 2023, the SPM 2024 results showed that 59 subjects recorded improved performance, 30 showed a decline, and one subject remained unchanged.
Meanwhile, in KAJANG, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek noted an increase in students scoring at least a grade E in their exams.
'We are very proud to see these results. 'We also hope this improvement will motivate teachers to focus even more on the quality of teaching,' she said when visiting SMK Convent Kajang yesterday. She added that the ministry would continue efforts to improve results, especially in areas closely linked to performance, which are already on its radar.
I believe there are many segments for improvement, and we take these matters seriously to ensure future results are even better,' she said.
She also said that since last year, the ministry has implemented interventions to ensure the pass rate continues to rise. Fadhlina also took a moment to share her child's SPM achievement.
'I'm also happy as my child achieved 8As. Alhamdulillah,' she said.
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