FLOODS: JOHOR PREPARES ALTERNATIVES TO ENSURE STUDENTS CAN SIT FOR SPM

JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- The state government has prepared alternative plans to ensure that 43,175 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates can continue to sit for the examination, said State Education and Information Committee chairman Aznan Tamin.

He said 16 SPM candidates from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Buloh Kasap in Segamat are already affected.  

“Nine of them are placed at SMK Buloh Kasap, whereas the rest temporarily stay at their relatives’ homes. We do not want candidates to have to postpone taking their exams. We want it to proceed as scheduled.

“However, we can arrange for their turn to take the SPM oral test; there is no issue now. The SPM process is running smoothly,” he told reporters after checking the implementation of the SPM oral examination at SMK Tasek Utara here today. The school principal, Mislina Salleh, was also present.

Meanwhile, Aznan said the Johor Education Department has identified 669 schools to be gazetted as temporary relief centres.

“We hope it will involve the primary schools first to allow SPM candidates in secondary schools to focus on their exams. Suppose there is a need to open relief centres at secondary schools. In that case, we will arrange to move the candidates to other schools as appropriate,” he added.

At noon, 840 flood victims were placed at 17 relief centres in Segamat.

In a separate development, Aznan advised parents to monitor their children under 18 to ensure they do not watch movies that normalise bullying behaviours.

“We do not oppose the country’s film industry, but it is not encouraged when it involves bullying and similar issues. I hope the ministry, the cinema operators and parents can monitor,” he said, adding that there are no reports regarding bullying incidents in schools across the state so far.

-- BERNAMA