Some students happily skipped SPM examinations in the hope of becoming influencers, while others thought of surviving with the money earned through e-hailing jobs.
Just recently, over 900 students in Johor skipped SPM because they thought they could make a lot of money by working in Singapore.
In January 2025, the Minister of Education, Fadhlina Sidek, revealed that over 10,000 students did not sit for the SPM examinations in 2024.
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The Chairman of the Education and Information Committee of Johor, Mr. Aznan Tamin, said that Singapore’s decision not to require local workers to have an SPM qualification is one of the contributing factors to why some students in Johor are reluctant to sit for the examination.
The situation in Malaysia, however, is different. Many job sectors require their candidates to possess a minimum certification of SPM, depending on the field.
“The SPM candidates in question failed to sit for the main examination because they believe they can still secure jobs in Singapore with high salaries, even without an SPM qualification.”
“The high salary offers in Singapore, due to the strong exchange rate, attract their attention. This has raised concerns for the Johor state government that the issue of school dropouts will persist.”
Aznan added that although this number has decreased compared to the previous year, it is still a major concern for the state government, reported Berita Harian.
In 2023, it was reported that the number of workers hired in Singapore increased by 88,400.
So, what about those who skipped SPM?
Aznan said the establishment of the Johor Talent Development Council (JTDC) is seen as a potential solution to ensure that these dropout students continue their studies in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
“JTDC is a platform to help these children. Even if they don’t finish their studies, we can send them to pursue TVET and hire them to work in Johor.”
“If the skipped SPM, it does not mean the end of the world for them. We will encourage them to join and train with TVET, and they can continue working in the state.”
What do you think of the state government’s take on this? What advice do you have for those who are planning to sit SPM out?
