STPM records higher perfect score

By PRIYA KULASAGARAN 

educate@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: The percentage of students who scored a perfect 4.0 CGPA was higher in last year's Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM).

Of the 51,673 candidates who sat for the examination in 2012, 442 (or 0.86%) candidates scored a cumulative grade point average of 4.0 compared to 300 (or 0.59%) candidates in 2011.

While students are allowed to take up to five subjects for the STPM, their CGPA scores are calculated based on scores received for the best four subjects including General Studies.

Malaysian Examinations Council chairman Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Noh Dalimin said the number of students who scored 5As increased to 18 candidates from 12 in 2011.

“The total number of candidates who passed all their papers in five or four subjects improved too from 23,246 candidates (45.9%) in 2011 to 24,488 candidates (47.4%) in 2012.

“There was also an improvement in the number of government school candidates who passed all their papers for five or four subjects, that is 23,683 (49.6%) in 2012 compared to 22,430 (47.8%) in 2011,” he said when announcing the results here yesterday.

“There is still a significant gap in between the performance of urban and rural candidates.

“The total number of urban candidates who scored 5As, 4As and 3As is 1,105 compared to only 170 rural candidates,” added Prof Mohd Noh, who is also the vice-chancellor of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia.

This is the last STPM under the old format.

From last year, Lower Six students undergo school-based assessments and are tested at the end of each semester, instead of having to sit for a final exam.

Prof Mohd Noh hoped continuous assessment will encourage more students to opt for STPM.

“STPM students under the new modular format had their first semester examinations in November last year.”

The inaugural batch of students under the new-look STPM will receive their first semester results this Thursday.