PETALING JAYA: Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2021 candidates were not too worried about high Covid-19 numbers as the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the exam was enforced strictly.
Some say they are just glad to finally be able to sit for the long-awaited papers after nearly two years, which saw them switching between face-to-face and home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) a few times.
Amirul Hakim Shazlee, 18, said while everyone was concerned about Covid-19, many would also like to move on.
“We do not want to be infected but this should not be an excuse for us not to get on with our lives,” he told The Star after completing his Bahasa Melayu papers yesterday.
Fortunately, the school was strict about SOP implementation, he said, adding that it was sufficient for now.
“But it should be reviewed from time to time,” said the SPM candidate from SMK Sentul Utama, Kuala Lumpur.
Besides the usual mask-wearing and maintaining physical distancing, he said his school also provided self-test kits for candidates who showed any symptoms.
Amirul Hakim also said he hoped he would do well in the exams as it had been “a very stressful two years with the constant shifting between face-to-face and PdPR”.
His schoolmate Muhammad Haziq Hariri, 18, said the SOP was stringent, with teachers constantly monitoring compliance.
Besides conducting temperature scans and ensuring students maintain personal hygiene by washing hands or using hand sanitiser, he said his school was also strict about keeping those who tested positive away from others.
“Last week, two students tested positive and they were sent to wait in the isolation room before their parents took them home,” he added.
Alastair Ong Jie Ron, 18, said there were some students who tested positive for the virus and did not come for the exams.
Though he is worried about the high number of Covid-19 cases, he said if he followed the SOP – which he also said was adequate – things would be all right.
Charis Kee Pei-En, 18, from SMK (P) Sri Aman, Petaling Jaya, said candidates were seated further apart in the halls.
“During lunch, the students were also required to eat in different locations in the school to avoid crowding in the canteen.
“Still, I felt that enforcement could be stricter, but there is a lack of teachers as many of them were sent to other schools for the exams,” she added.
Other students said they could finally breathe a bit easy now that the uncertainty over the SPM is over.
Ikha Fatima Abdul Hakim Mordani, 18, said she felt a sense of caution and relief when she stepped foot into school at 7.10am yesterday.
“Cautious because there is a risk of being a close contact to someone who’s positive and having to postpone taking the exam.
“Relief because it is finally the SPM,” she said, adding that it had been nerve-wracking not knowing whether the exams would go on.
Her schoolmate Hema Sarita Parthipan Rajah also said she felt relieved to have come this far, despite all the obstacles such as being the first batch of the KSSM syllabus, late announcements of exam formats, and switching back and forth between face-to-face lessons and PdPR.
Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin said SPM 2021 candidates who missed the first session of the examination after testing positive for Covid-19 or having to undergo quarantine can sit for the second session of the exam in April.
He added that students would only need to provide their MySejahtera notification, Covid-19 test results and the school principal’s letter of approval.
He also said based on his observation at SMK Kota Masai 2 and SMK Kota Masai in Johor, the first day of the exams went smoothly.
A total of 407,097 candidates sat for the papers under the watchful eyes of over 50,000 invigilators nationwide, he said in a Facebook post yesterday.
Also on Facebook, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob wished all candidates the best of luck.
“Pak Long loves you all. All the best,” he said.
The SPM 2021 written exam runs from March 2 to March 29.