Drop in GPN for SPM 2015 is normal, within permitted range - Mahdzir

The drop in the National Average Grade (GPN) Index by 0.07 percent in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2015 examination results, announced Thursday, is normal and within the permitted range.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said only if the GPN index fell by more than three percent could it be considered a problem and required further monitoring and improvement.

However, he said, the ministry would conduct a thorough analysis covering three important aspects concerning the statistics in the index.

"We will assess three categories, including according to subjects as there are more than 100 subjects offered in the examination.

"At the same time, the urban-rural school factor as well as assessment based on the academic performance according to race must also be analysed to improve on the weaknesses," he told reporters here.

Earlier, Mahdzir presented the SPM result slips to the 10 best students of the Sekolah Menengah Sains Kuala Selangor at the school here.

Joanne Carmen Rasul Abdullah, 18, was the best student out of 147 candidates, scoring 7A+ and 2As.

According to Mahdzir, the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) for Form Five students would be continued to produce quality students and teachers in the future.

He said this was to prepare students to think creatively and critically when they finished school to further their studies or to start a career.

In the SPM 2015 results announced, 9,721 candidates achieved excellent results (Grade A+, A, A-) compared to 11,289 last year.

Education director-general Datuk Seri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof who announced the results also said that the 2015 GPN Index recorded a drop of 0.07 to 5.15 compared with 5.08 in 2014.