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, equivalent to eleventh grade in American's K–12 (education). 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 tertiary level education at a university or other higher education institutions. 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.

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 actual certificate, only the national examination board's grade is listed. The minimum requirements to obtain the certificate is to pass both Malay language and History.

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 home schooled generally take the SPM at the end of their secondary education as well.

Subjects

Compulsory subjects

Certain subjects are made compulsory for students. These are:^[1][2]

Code	Subject (Official name)	Subject (English name)	Examination language
1103	Bahasa Melayu	Malay language	Malay
1119	Bahasa Inggeris	English language	English
1223	Pendidikan Islam^[a]	Islamic Studies	Malay
1225	Pendidikan Moral^[b]	Moral Studies (also Moral Education)	Malay
1249	Sejarah	History	Malay
1449	Mathematics	Mathematics	English and Malay
1511	Science^[c]	Science	English and Malay

^a Compulsory for all Muslim students except for students in Islamic Science stream, who are required to take their respective electives in lieu of this subject.

^b Compulsory for all non-Muslim students.

^c Compulsory for students in the Commerce, and Literature and Arts streams only. Students in the Pure Science, Islamic 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

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	Advanced Arabic language	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	Lukisan Kejuruteraan	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	Teknologi Kejuruteraan	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
7301	Landskap dan Nurseri	Nursery and Landscape	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
3765	Information and Communication Technology	Information and Communication Technology	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.^[3]

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.^[4] Politicians usually visit some of these top ranked students a day before the official results 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.^[5]

Prior to year 2011, the Public Service Department (JPA) scholarships are given to students who scored excellent results in the SPM examination for their studies in universities. However, at June 2011, the Public Service Department announced that starting from the year 2012 onwards they will no longer offer scholarships to SPM leavers, instead they will only offer scholarships to leavers of STPM and A-Level. Later, at 23 March 2012, the Ministry of Education of Malaysia announced that starting from the SPM 2011 batch onwards, students who obtained 9A+ or above in the SPM are eligible for bursaries given by the ministry which will cover costs for pre-university programmes such as A-Level, International Baccalaureate, etc. In addition, the top-50 SPM candidates in the whole country can still be offered the Public Service Department scholarships based on National Scholarship Programme.

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; F is not used). 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.^[6]

The table below shows the comparison between previous grade system and the current one.

2000 – 2008	From 2009	Grade Value
N/A	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

National Best Student

Year	National Best Student	SPM Result
2001	Alvin Choong Ching Yek, Lee Shen Han, Joy Wee Xin Ning	12A1
2002	Yap Sui Lin	16A1
2003	Ahmad Atiq Abdul Hamid	14A1 1A2
2004	Nur Amalina Che Bakri	17A1
2005	Ester Elizabeth Jack, Chin Shiang Jin	15A1
	Chong Huey Ee	15A1 1A2
2006	Yeo Jie Ming, Melissa Sia Yin Ying	16A1
	Siti Fatimah Mukhtar	17A1 1A2
2007	Mohamad Hafiz Haikal Bin Kamaruzamend	16A1
	Azali Azlan	20A1 1A2
2008	Lim Shu Yong, Tan Chin Huat, Akira Wong Neng Chun	16A1
	Nik Nur Madihah Nik Mohamad Kamal	19A1 1A2
2009	Grace Kiew Sze-Ern	15A+
	Gladys Tan Yee Kim	10A+
2010	Muhammad Putera Farid Iskandar, Paramesparan Raguwaran	10A+
2014	Siti Nasrah Binti S Rosli @ Sheikh Rosli	9A+
	Mohd Haziq Bin Hamdan	11A+

References

1. "Apa itu SPM?". MyExam.com. Retrieved 22 November 2011. (Malay)
2. "Secondary School Subjects". Ministry of Education, Malaysia. Retrieved 22 November 2011. (Malay)
3. "PPSMI: Dr Mahathir minta undian pembaca blog". Malaysiakini.com. 9 July 2009.
4. Stamp of approval
5. "Languages and Bible Knowledge as electives". The Star Online. 25 December 2009.
6. http://www.moe.gov.my/cms/upload_files/circularfile/2009/circularfile_file_000489.pdf