KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — A total of 9,696 candidates scored excellent results (A+, A and A-) in all subjects in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2021 examination, said Director-General of Education Datuk Nor Zamani Abdol Hamid.

In announcing the SPM 2021 results here today, she said the National Average Grade (GPN) for this year was 4.86.

A lower GPN value indicates better performance.

The GPN in 2020 was 4.80, 4.86 in 2019, 4.89 (2018), 4.90 (2017) and 5.05 (2016).

"A total of 55.29 per cent of the candidates obtained at least a pass in all subjects,” she said.

Nor Zamani said 336,630 or 88.09 per cent of the total 407,097 registered candidates were eligible to be awarded the SPM certificate.

"To receive the certificate, candidates must pass the Bahasa Melayu and History subjects,” she said, adding that a total of 975 or 69.10 per cent of the 1,411 candidates with special needs (CBK) were eligible to be awarded the SPM certificate.

When asked if she was satisfied with the SPM 2021 results, Nor Zamani said in general, it was an encouraging result because the candidates were the first cohort to follow the Secondary School Standard Curriculum (KSSM) in Form One in 2017.

"These candidates also went through a challenging learning experience in the new norms while they were in Form Four and Form Five due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We admit that it was not easy to prepare to sit for the examination with limited face-to-face teaching and learning sessions,” she said.

In line with the implementation of KSSM, the SPM 2021 examination offers 95 subjects, namely 27 new subjects and 68 existing subjects, with a total of 180 examination papers.

SPM candidates also sit for the Bahasa Melayu and English oral tests and the practical science tests (UAS), she said.

Elaborating, Nor Zamani said the English subject was aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in line with the aspirations of the English Language Education Reform in Malaysia: The Roadmap 2015-2025.

"CEFR is an international standard used to gauge the level of language proficiency of students. It is also included in the candidates’ SPM certificates,” she explained.

Nor Zamani also said that the Examination Board would conduct a detailed study on the SPM 2021 results as this was the first time it was implemented in a new format.

"We did not compare the results of SPM 2021 with the previous year because this was the first cohort to follow the KSSM,” she said. — Bernama