SPM 2025: S’wak’s rural candidates show stronger improvement, closing gap with urban peers

Roland addressing the media during the SPM 2025 results press conference at a hotel on Mar 31, highlighting improved performance among rural students. Photo credit: Ukas

By Amanda L

KUCHING, Mar 31: Rural students in Sarawak are gradually narrowing the performance gap with their urban counterparts in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2025 examination with rural candidates improving their State Average Grade (GPN) from 5.11 in 2024 to 5.03 this year, compared to a smaller improvement among urban candidates from 4.46 to 4.44.

Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn said the stronger improvement among rural candidates indicates that ongoing efforts to strengthen education access and support in remote areas are producing encouraging results.

“Sarawak recorded a State Average Grade (GPN) of 4.79 in the 2025 SPM examination, an improvement from 4.84 the previous year.

“The result also marks the State’s best performance since 2013, when Bahasa Melayu and History were made compulsory passing subjects in the national examination,” he told reporters during a press conference on SPM results held at a hotel here, today.

Overall performance improved among both urban and rural candidates, with rural students recording a more significant gain compared to their urban counterparts.

According to Roland, the trend reflects gradual progress in narrowing the performance gap between students from different localities, indicating that ongoing initiatives to strengthen education outcomes across Sarawak are beginning to show results.

The encouraging trend is also reflected at the school level where 27 schools recorded a 100 per cent passing rate in the 2025 SPM examination including 19 located in rural districts.

Statewide, 34,166 candidates from schools under the Ministry of Education (MOE) sat for the examination. Of these, 853 students obtained A’s in all subjects, while 31,506 candidates, or 93.99 per cent, qualified for the SPM certificate.

“The results reflect the collective efforts of students, teachers, parents and education stakeholders in strengthening Sarawak’s education system, adding that continued initiatives will focus on further improving access to quality education, particularly in rural areas,” he added. — DayakDaily