The Education Ministry will explore making adjustments to let secondary school students take Bahasa Malaysia and History SPM exams as single subjects, according to deputy minister Wong Kah Woh.
This followed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement yesterday that it will be mandatory for all schools to learn SPM-level BM and Malaysian history.
“Under existing regulations, any student who wishes to sit for the SPM examination must register for at least six compulsory subjects. This requirement applies to all SPM candidates, including students from government schools, private schools, and private candidates.
“In addition, to obtain the SPM certificate, candidates must pass both BM and History.
“Following the prime minister’s announcement yesterday, the Education Ministry will take further actions and measures to explore allowing candidates to sit for only two single subjects - BM and History - without having to register for the six compulsory subjects.
“This would be a major institutional reform that society has discussed for many years,” he said in a statement published in Chinese.
Meeting with Dong Zong
Wong added that his ministry would also meet with the United Chinese School Committees’ Association (Dong Zong) to discuss the details of Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) candidates sitting for the exams.
According to a news report, Dong Zong sought a meeting with Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek to discuss the new requirements.
Its chairperson, Tan Yew Sing, said he was informed that Fadhlina and Wong have agreed to meet the association.
“We may meet up early next week,” he said, as quoted by the New Straits Times.
Ending the UEC controversy
At the launch of the National Education Development Plan 2026-2035 yesterday, Anwar said it will be mandatory to learn SPM-level BM and History using the national curriculum for all schools, including independent, Islamic, and international schools.
He said he hopes this would put an end to controversies over Chinese independent school students who take the UEC in addition to SPM.
“This also applies to the minor controversy regarding UEC, even though circumstances have already changed. The vast majority (of UEC candidates) take SPM, and the vast majority also take SPM BM.
“However, under current regulations, BM and History are also made compulsory for international schools, religious schools, and all Chinese-stream schools, that is, UEC.
“So with this method, their pathway to higher education, whether from international schools, religious schools, or UEC, should no longer be a controversy.
“We accept it well, as long as these conditions are met,” the prime minister said. - Mkini
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