Use of 147 schools as polling centres in Johor won’t affect SPM, says education minister

Education Minister Radzi Jidin has assured that the use of 147 secondary schools as polling centres for the Johor election will not affect the SPM examination which began today.

He said the use of the classrooms for polling would not involve the examination rooms.

“Prior to this, we did discuss with the Election Commission (EC) on whether it was possible not to use the secondary schools, but due to certain constraints, 147 schools will have to be used.

“So, the decision was made that even if the schools are used, it will not affect the examination rooms.

“Although this is difficult as almost all of the rooms are being used to ensure physical distancing (among the SPM candidates), the EC has a method and doing its best to ensure that the examination process continues in a smooth and orderly manner,” he said after visiting SMK Kota Masai 2 on the first day of the examination in Johor Bahru today.

Radzi said sanitisation would also be carried out as soon as the polling process ends to ensure the areas are decontaminated and safe.

The written examination of 2021 SPM will be held from today until March 29, while the Johor state election is fixed on March 12 with early voting on March 8.

Last month, Radzi said the ministry was of the stand that secondary schools in Johor should not be used as polling centres as it did not want the preparations for the SPM examination to be disrupted.