Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has hit out at a former education minister over the high number of Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination absentees.
Anwar said the then minister failed to monitor the situation, which was brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and political instability.
“What did the (former) minister (of) education do?
“He talks about championing the Malay cause, but a majority of the Malays do not have (the) SPM (certificate),” he told students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi.
While Anwar did not specify anyone in particular, Radzi Jidin was the education minister in governments led by former prime ministers Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Anwar said the high number of absentees was a serious issue and the failure of the former education minister now needs to be resolved by his successor, Fadhlina Sidek.
It was previously reported that 14,858 of the 2022 SPM candidates did not sit for the examination.
That figure made up 3.8% of the 388,832 candidates who had registered to sit for the examination.
Fadhlina has since said that the education ministry would probe the matter and introduce appropriate measures to ensure better attendance in future.
Anwar also said students had to put up with broken toilets, which was another issue that was not paid attention to previously.
“I’ve asked Fadhlina to check on all the school toilets.”
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, added the cost to repair school toilets nationwide was estimated at RM1 billion.
Source : FMT
The Coverage Malaysia
