Education Ministry issues Q&A for public exams during pandemic

 

PETALING JAYA: The Education Ministry has issued a set of Questions and Answers (Q&A) related to public examinations and central assessments.

These were posted on the ministry's Facebook account on Tuesday (Feb 9).

Below are some pertinent questions and answers for those involved in public examinations and assessments

Q: Will the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM), Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM), Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) examinations for the 2020 candidates take place?

A: Yes, the examinations will carry on according to the schedule set.

Q: Do examination candidates need to obtain permission letters from the police to cross districts or states to be at their examination centres?

A: No. Candidates are only required to submit documents that confirm them as a public examination candidate, such as the examination registration statement (pernyataan pendaftaran peperiksaan) or the candidate entry registration report (laporan pendaftaran kemasukan calon) if asked by the police.

Q: Do examination officers need to obtain permission letters from the police to cross districts or states to be on duty at the examination centres?

A: No. They only need to submit documents that confirm them as examination officers which are issued by the Examination Syndicate, state education departments or the Malaysian Examinations Council.

Q: Do examination candidates and officers have to wear face masks in school and throughout the examination period?

A: Yes.

Q: Do school and private candidates have to declare their health status before entering the examination centre?

A: Yes. School and private candidates have to declare their health status every day through one of the two methods below:

(i) Candidates may obtain the Covid-19 screening declaration form which is prepared by schools or state education department’s assessment and examination sector. Completed forms must be submitted to the chief examination officer; or

(ii) Candidates may download the Covid-19 screening declaration form from the Examination Syndicate’s official portal (lp.moe.gov.my) or the Malaysian Examinations Council’s portal (mpm.edu.my). Completed forms must be submitted to the chief examination officer.

Q: What is the purpose of filling up the Covid-19 screening declaration form on each examination day?

A: The aim of filling up the form is to ensure that candidates’ information on their health status is accurate to assist examination officers in managing the candidates according to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and ensuring the examinations are conducted smoothly.

Q: Are candidates with a temperature of 37.5°C who are present at the examination centres allowed to sit for the examination?

A: No.

Q: What actions should a candidate with Covid-19 symptoms take before going to the examination centre?

A: (i) For school candidates, they, or their parents, or their guardians have to inform the school. However, for private candidates, they, or their parents, or their guardians have to inform their respective state education department’s assessment and examination sector at which they registered.

(ii) Candidates must receive treatment from a clinic or hospital in order to get a letter or document confirming their level of health.

(iii) If candidates are confirmed to no longer have Covid-19 symptoms and are able to sit for their examinations, they are allowed to do so at the examination centres.

(iv) After receiving treatment from a clinic or hospital, and candidates arrive at the examination centre no more than 30 minutes after the examination has started, they will be allowed to sit for it on the same day and will be given replacement time to answer their questions.

(v) If candidates arrive more than 30 minutes after the examination has started after receiving treatment at a clinic or hospital, they will not be allowed to sit for it on the same day but are allowed to sit for a rescheduled examination.

(vi) Candidates with confirmed Covid-19 symptoms have to submit letters/documents confirming their health status/quarantine instructions to their schools to process their appeal to sit for a rescheduled examination.

Q: Why are the letters/documents confirming their health status/quarantine instructions necessary?

A: These are required by the Examination Syndicate or the Malaysian Examinations Council as supporting documents when considering whether or not to allow a candidate to sit for a rescheduled examination.

Q: What should be done if a candidate is instructed to quarantine himself/herself before going to the examination centre?

A: (i) School candidate

The candidate, or parents, or guardians should contact the school. Candidates are also required to stay at home, in their hostels or quarantine centres.

(ii) Private candidate

The candidate, or parents, or guardians should contact their respective state education department’s assessment and examination sector at which they registered. Candidates are also required to stay at home, in their hostels or quarantine centres.

Q: What should be done if a candidate is a confirmed Covid-19 patient by the district health office or a candidate is instructed to quarantine, and therefore unable to take the examination?

A: (i) School candidate

The candidate, or parents, or guardians should contact the school to submit information regarding their quarantine together with the relevant documents.

(ii) Private candidate

The candidate, or parents, or guardians should contact their respective state education department’s assessment and examination sector at which they registered to submit information regarding their quarantine together with the relevant documents.

Q: Can a candidate who is declared Covid-19 positive or a candidate who is instructed to quarantine sit for the examinations?

A: No.

Q: When can a candidate who is declared as Covid-19 positive or a candidate who is instructed to quarantine sit for the examinations?

A: Candidates are only allowed to sit for the remainder of the examination papers that are ongoing after their quarantine or treatment period and they are confirmed to be healthy.

Q: What about the examination papers that they did not sit for during their quarantine or treatment period?

A: Candidates are allowed to sit for the rescheduled examinations.

Q: What should schools do if they are informed by parents or guardians that their child, who was at the examination centre, has been identified as a close contact of a Covid-19 positive patient?

A: Examination officers must separate the candidate in a special room to continue their examination. The schools must inform the district health office for further action. - Star