PUTRAJAYA: The Education Ministry (MOE) has yet to decide on the implementation of the Form Three Assessment (PT3) examination for the 2022 session, said Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin.

He said the MOE was looking into the most suitable approach related to PT3 by taking into account the level of mastery of students and indications from the ongoing 2021 school session.

"There has been no official decision by the MOE related to PT3," he told the media after attending the launching of Sekolahku SEJAHTERA, here today.

Previously, there was a statement posted on the Malaysian Examination Board (LPM) Facebook account, claiming that PT3 examination for the 2022 session will be held from October to November. A check later found that the post has been deleted.

Radzi, meanwhile, said the MOE would hold discussions with the Election Commission (EC) tomorrow on the use of secondary schools in Johor as polling centres in the Johor state election to ensure the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination runs smoothly.

A total of 151 secondary schools will be used as polling centres for the Johor state election on March 12, while the SPM examination is scheduled to be held from March 2 to 29.

"Prior to this, preliminary discussions have been held as we are working closely with the EC to ensure that the SPM examination runs smoothly," he said.

"If we have to use the schools, we have an approach (how to go about it), but we try to avoid it because there is not much time, only Sundays are available (to rearrange tables and chairs).

"The tables (in examination halls) have been carefully arranged which took a long time and any disruption on the arrangement and then the need to rearrange them again in one day is not easy as it has its ways and rules," Radzi said.

On the issue of heavy school bags which has become a hot topic recently, Radzi said the MOE was studying the matter and had identified several causes, including the number of subjects, thick textbooks, and students bringing extra books.

"We at MOE are formulating what is the best approach (because) it has been dragging on for so long, so that this issue will be resolved once and for all by detailing several approaches," he said.

-- BERNAMA