10 Things You Need To Know About The Cancellation of UPSR, PT3 and Postponement of SPM 2020

Today Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin announced the cancellation of UPSR, PT3 and postponement of SPM 2020 to early 2021. Here's what parents need to know for now.

1. School sessions will be postponed until we are more certain of a recovery situation

2. School reopening will be announced 2 weeks beforehand.

3. For now, school reopening will only involve examination classes SPM, SVM, STPM, STAM and other equivalent overseas exams.

4. Teachers, parents and students are to follow SOPs on safety, cleanliness and social distancing when school reopens

5. SPM,  SVM and STAM will be postponed to the first quarter of 2021

6. STPM Semester 2 will be rescheduled to August 2020 whereas Semester 3 will be held on the first quarter of 2021.

7. New intakes for institutes of higher education including Asasi, Matrikulasi and diploma programmes will be postponed to July or August 2021. Degree programmes will be postponed to September or October 2021.

Update: In a Press Release dated 16 April 2020, the ministry further explained that the postponement of intakes are for those taking SPM 2020 whereas intake dates for those who took SPM in 2019 will proceed as planed. (Refer to press release at the end of this page)

8. UPSR and PT3 2020 will be cancelled.

9. Progression to Secondary School: With the cancellation of UPSR, the MOE will introduce a new method of assessment (which is not solely focused on academic performance alone) for admission to full boarding schools (SBP), Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA), Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) and Royal Military College (RMC),

10. Progression to Upper Secondary: With the cancellation of PT3, a new method will be introduced to assess students for upper secondary school. Results from this assessment will be used as one of the criteria for admission to specific schools such as full-boarding or technical schools.

We did a quick poll on this and at this time of writing, 345 parents voted in agreement of this move with 30 dissenting.

For full details, please refer to the press statement from the Ministry of Education, Malaysia below or visit the official site:

Ministry of Education Malaysia official website
Ministry of Education Malaysia Facebook Page
Ministry of Education Malaysia Twitter