KUALA LUMPUR:Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2020 candidates need not worry as the format for the public examination remains and cannot be changed arbitrarily, said the Education Ministry’s Examinations Syndicate director, Datuk Pkharuddin Ghazali.

He said this was because the standard of SPM certificates issued is recognised by all parties, including international experts.

“The curriculum and standard of questions are still the same and, as such, there will be no change in the format. If there are any changes, it will take a minimum of three years and can reach up to five years as it requires research.

“The SPM certificate is of international standard and that is why it cannot be changed arbitrarily. Otherwise, our certificates will be invalid, our children will not be able to pursue further studies abroad, cannot obtain scholarships or find jobs,” he said.

He was speaking on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme yesterday, titled “Peperiksaan Awam Tahun 2020 Dalam Norma Baharu” (Public Examinations for the Year 2020 in the New Norm) here last night.

Previously, the Examinations Syndicate stressed that there would be no changes to this year’s SPM examination format, thus, denying a newspaper report related to purported changes in the format of the SPM examination in the future.

Meanwhile, Pkharuddin said that SPM candidates who are tested positive for COVID-19 or quarantined due to being a close contact of a positive case would not be allowed to sit for the examination.

“In the guidelines, we clearly state that these two groups of candidates cannot sit for the examination but they will be allowed to sit for the rescheduled examination if they produce certified documents to prove they are free of the virus,” he said.

The major examinations are the SPM and Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM), which are set to begin on Feb 22; followed by the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM), Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) and Diploma Vokasional Malaysia (DVM) for the year 2020 as well as equivalent international examinations last year.

A total of 401,105 candidates will sit for the SPM examination from Feb 22 to March 25.

-- BERNAMA