Nationwide candidates sit for first Bahasa Melayu paper as exams return to November to December schedule amid monsoon challenges.
PUTRAJAYA: The 2025 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) written examinations officially began today, with 413,372 candidates nationwide sitting for the first paper, Bahasa Melayu Paper 1.
Education director-general Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad, speaking to reporters after meeting candidates at SMK Putrajaya Presint 11(1), highlighted the diversity of this year’s candidates.
The bulk — 358,817 —come from government, government-aided, and government-aided religious schools.
Another 8,051 candidates are from institutions under other government agencies, including MRSM, the Royal Military College, and defence schools.
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There are also 6,676 candidates from state religious secondary schools, 13,836 from registered private schools, 23,741 private candidates, and 2,251 from Sekolah Menengah Agama Rakyat.
Mohd Azam also noted that SPM has returned to its original November–December schedule, after several years of being conducted in February.
He acknowledged that holding exams during this period comes with challenges, particularly the monsoon and flood season.
Authorities, he said, have put measures in place to ensure the examinations run smoothly.
“We have coordinated with MetMalaysia to monitor the weather daily. The Malaysian Examinations Board and education offices at state and district levels are taking the necessary actions to support candidates,” Mohd Azam said.
SPM 2025 runs from Nov 3 to Dec 23, marking an almost month-long examination journey for Form 5 students.
The number of candidates has increased from 402,956 in 2024, a rise of about 2.6%.
