UPSR, PT3, STPM, STAM and SPM expected to be postponed due to Covid-19

CORONAVIRUS | Several major examinations are expected to be postponed amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Education Ministry sources told Malaysiakini that the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and the Penilaian Tingkatan 3 (PT3) examinations are expected to be postponed to early and late December respectively.

Meanwhile, the Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) and the third-semester Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examinations are expected to be postponed to around January to February next year.

"The Education Ministry will be meeting to finalise the dates for the examinations and an announcement is expected to be made by the minister in the near future.

"The postponements are necessary due to the extension of the movement control order MCO) and the government's decision not to restart school sessions immediately after the MCO ends," the Education Ministry source told Malaysiakini. 

On March 28, the Education Ministry had announced that the SPM examination would be postponed from Nov 16 to Dec 7.

Under the original timeline, written examinations for SPM was to take place from Oct 5 to 14 and Nov 2 to 19.

The ministry initially also announced that UPSR will proceed on Sept 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8 but this will now change.

The original timeline would also see the STPM's third semester written examinations take place on Nov 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10.

Meanwhile, the original timeline for the STAM written examination was supposed to take place from Oct 21 to 22 and Oct 26 to 28.

Deputy Education Ministers Mah Hang Soon and Muslimin Yahaya, when contacted about the postponements, said wait for the official announcement.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had on Friday announced that the MCO, which started on March 18, will be extended until April 28.

He had also said that the Education Ministry will be turning to home learning in the interim, including through television.

Malaysia had been under a partial lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19. All schools have been closed.

Under the MCO, all non-essential businesses and services must close while people are only allowed to leave their homes for approved reasons.

Foreigners are also not allowed into the country while Malaysians cannot leave.  - Mkini