by BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR – Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases nationwide and floods in the east coast states, the 2021 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination began smoothly today in accordance with the strict standard operating procedures at 3,382 examination centres across the country.

However, a total of 708 candidates in seven schools in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, who were affected by floods, will have to sit for the examination at the second session in April.

Also allowed to sit for the examination in April are those who were infected by COVID-19 and currently undergoing quarantine.

Bernama checks at several schools nationwide found that the candidates, all masked up, began flocking their examination centres at 6.30am to sit for the Bahasa Melayu Paper 1.

In the capital, Kuala Lumpur Education Department deputy director (Educational Planning Sector and District Education Office Management) Mohd Najib Ab Rahman said the implementation of the SPM examination in the new normal this time around was more organised, thanks to the experience from last year.

When met during his visit to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sentul Utama here, he said the examination in Kuala Lumpur involved 20,311 candidates and 161 examination centres.