Moe Bombarded With Angry Comments Over Spm Exam Paper Issue

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GEORGETOWN 02 MARCH 2021. Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bukit Jambul students walk to the exam hall sat for SPM Calls are mounting on social media urging the Education Ministry and Examination Syndicate to explain the brouhaha on the second session of the 2021 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination which began on April 5. - NSTP/MIKAIL ONGKUALA LUMPUR: Calls are mounting on social media urging the Education Ministry and Examination Syndicate to explain the brouhaha on the second session of the 2021 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination which began on April 5.
It was claimed that the set of questions in the Bahasa Melayu (Listening) paper on Thursday was the same as those in the first session of the SPM examination.
It triggered a war of words between candidates from the first and second session on social media, with the former claiming that it was unfair to them, and also their parents who were unhappy over the matter.
Some 85,700 candidates are sitting for the second session of the exam. The students comprised those who had missed the first session because they had to undergo quarantine due to Covid-19, flood victims and special cases approved by the Examination Syndicate.
A social media user, identified as Hammami Yusoff, was among those who flooded the comment section of Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin's official Facebook page urging the minister to explain the matter.
"KPM (the ministry) does not have any guilt for the first session candidates? Where is the fairness for the SPM candidates?
"Because of this, candidates who sat for the first session of the examination are (morally) down from the lack of awareness by the ministry.
"Come on DRJ (Dr Radzi Jidin)… please explain," he said.
Another social media user, Mazlina Harun said it was unfair for candidates who sat for the first session of the examination.
"The questions were discussed and answers shared on social media.
"Pity the candidates," she said. She claimed the matter was compounded by the poor quality of the audio played during the first session of the exam.
Another social media user, Safura Zarin claimed that the problem possibly resulted from the failure of some examination invigilators to collect the exam paper after the examination concluded.
Sharifah Sofea asked which schools allowed the candidates to leave the examination hall with the paper after the exam concluded.
"This year's examination paper is kertas tertutup (confidential) which means that the invigilators will collect all the question papers including for those who were absent after the examination concluded.
"The collected papers are later sealed in plastic bags before it is stored in a safe at the education district office," she said.
The issue is also trending on Twitter where @xiingxing wrote: "As second session student (candidate), I know the question is the same with the ones given to the candidates who sat for the paper during the first session.
"However, can we all not put the blame on the student, can we blame KPM (the Education Ministry)?"
Twitter user @staywith_ash criticised Malaysian Muslim Teachers Association (iGuru) president Mohd Azizee Hasan's comments on the issue.
Azizee had told Harian Metro on Friday that although he wanted the Examination Syndicate to explain the matter, he had said that iGuru had yet to receive any reports over the issue.
"For me, there is no problem. Although using the same question, the mark is given based on the way we write and (the paper did not comprise) multiple-choice questions," Azizee was quoted as saying.
As of press time, the New Straits Times is still pursuing comments from the Education Ministry. - NST

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