(Miri, 2nd) Deputy Director of School Management Division of Sarawak Education Department, Dr Les Met, pointed out that Sarawak's target for the 2024 Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) examination is to achieve a pass rate of 95% and to lower the state-wide average score (GPN) to 4.75%, laying the foundation for achieving the 2027 average score target of 4.5%.
"The SPM examination pass rate in Sarawak for 2023 was 93.15%, with the state-wide average score dropping to 4.92%. This is significant progress since it broke through the average score above 5.0 in 2019, successfully maintaining below 5.0."
He stated this while delivering a speech at the North Sarawak Region Education Enhancement Plan (SEEP) workshop today.
He said that although Sarawak has made some progress in educational outcomes, its overall educational ranking still lags behind compared to other states. He is confident about the future and believes that with clear goal setting and effective resource integration, Sarawak can achieve better performance.
He stated that the Sarawak Education Enhancement Plan is centered around the core concept of "teaching according to ability", by dividing students into six levels based on their abilities and adjusting exam papers, helping weaker students to pass exams, and comprehensively improving the education level in Sarawak.
Dr Les Met suggested that the plan should be implemented starting from Grade Four to ensure that every student has the opportunity to obtain graduation qualifications. At the same time, he calls on the education bureau and schools to fully cooperate, providing necessary support to help students complete exams successfully.
He emphasized that the long-term goal of education development is not only to improve the current academic performance of students but also to strengthen students' learning ability in the fields of science and technology from the fundamental education stage.
"If we cultivate students' STEM abilities from Grade One, by 2027 we hope to see more students participating in science courses."
According to the long-term plan, by 2027, at least 30% of students in each school should participate in pure science courses, and 60% should participate in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
Dr Les Met, stated that the education department will strengthen teaching support for relevant subjects to ensure students can master key skills, laying a solid foundation for the future.
He pointed out that in recent years, the educational performance of rural schools in Sarawak has gradually improved, but urban schools also need to step up efforts. Only when urban and rural areas progress in sync can Sarawak rank among the top in national education rankings.
He further stated that Sarawak currently has sufficient teacher resources, with almost 100% of secondary school staff in place. Meanwhile, since 2017, the Sarawak government and the Ministry of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development have continuously supported the development of schools, ensuring that every school is equipped with a deputy principal this year, further strengthening education management and development.
"The education development conditions in Sarawak have gradually improved, and next, we will strengthen advocacy and encourage students to actively participate in learning in the fields of technology and science, creating more possibilities for the future of education in Sarawak."