Poor HSC Results in Five States

A preliminary check has shown that at least five states — Selangor, Johore, Malacca, Kedah and Sarawak — recorded a drop in overall performance in last year's HSC/ STP examinations compared with the previous year. The overall results of Federal territory schools also declined. Analysis of results from the other states were not available but it is understood that Pahang and Trenggany improved on their 1977 pass rate.

In Sabah, a total of 103 or 41.2 per cent of 250 school candidates obtained full certificates. Of the six schools that fielded candidates, the La Salle School in Kota Kina-balu obtained the best results with 57.9 per cent passes. Only 40 of the 597 private candidates in the states obtained full certificates.

Meanwhile, the DAP has called on the government to conduct a full scale inquiry into the "deteriorating standards" of the HSC/STP preformances. The party's political bureau director, Mr Lee Lam Thye, said the time was "opportune for an inquiry to be held". He said there was also a need to look into the teaching of Bahasa Malaysia.

(NST 22/3/79)