KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — Candidates sitting for the major examinations scheduled to begin this month and who have been instructed to under quarantine or tested positive for Covid-19 must produce certified documents to enable them to sit for the rescheduled examinations.

The Education Ministry’s Examination Syndicate director, Datuk Pkharuddin Ghazali said the documents would act as evidence that they had undergone treatment as well as consulted with a doctor.

"There is a possibility that when it’s time to go to the examination centres, the candidates may feel like they don’t want to and wish to instead sit for the rescheduled examination… this is not permitted, not without proof,” he said as a guest on a Bernama Radio talk show programme today.

The major examinations are the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM), which are set to begin on February 22; followed by the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM), Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) and Diploma Vokasional Malaysia (DVM) for the year 2020 as well as equivalent international examinations last year.

On January 22, Education director-general Datuk Habibah Abdul Rahim said the Education Ministry would arrange for another session for candidates who could not sit for this month’s examinations because they have been tested positive for Covid-19 or are undergoing compulsory quarantine.

Meanwhile, Pkharuddin said it would be compulsory for all candidates to wear face masks at schools, examination centres and throughout the duration of the examinations as there would be many students around.

He also said that each candidate would be required to make a health declaration daily via two stipulated methods.

"Firstly, they can get a Covid-19 screening declaration form provided by the school or the evaluation and education section of the state education department. This form must be filled up earlier and submitted to the examination invigilator at the entrance of the school or examination centre. 

"The second method is to download the form via the Examination Syndicate’s official at https://lp.moe.gov.my or the Malaysian Examination Council website at www.mpm.edu.my,” he said, adding that candidates whose body temperature exceeded 37.5 degrees Celcius would not be allowed into the examination hall or school compound.

He said that if candidates are diagnosed as unwell by clinics or hospitals, they could contact the school authorities and to sit for their examinations in the hospital.

"This is allowed for government hospitals… but not when it comes to Covid-19 cases,” he said. — Bernama