In Malaysia, two of the most popular examinations taken by students before pursuing tertiary education in college or university are the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE). SPM and IGCSE are considered to be one of the most crucial examinations in a student’s academic life as the results will determine which path you take as you step into college or university. Therefore it is important to have a complete overview of SPM & IGCSE in order to make an informed decision.
SPM is the main national exam for 17 year old students who study under the Malaysian National Curriculum. It is set and examined by the Malaysian Examination Board (Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia).
Meanwhile, IGCSE which is based on British curriculum is the international equivalent of the GCSE examinations in the UK. It is offered by two examination board, Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge.
Both SPM and IGCSE has their own unique features where one is not better than the other. Students and parents must examine their aims and preferences carefully before choosing the best option for their future.
Subject Options for SPM
For SPM examination, students are allowed to take a maximum of 12 subjects. Keep in mind, there are six compulsory subjects that all students must take:
- Malay language
- English language
- Mathematics
- History
- Islamic Studies (for Muslims) / Moral Studies (for non muslims)
- Science (Only for students who are in commerce, literature and arts stream)
Apart from the compulsory subjects, students have to choose a number of elective subjects depending on their stream. Here are the lists of some elective subjects that you can take:
Pure Science
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Additional Maths
Applied Science & Technology
- Agriculture
- Home science
- Sports science
- Civil engineering studies
- Engineering drawing
Vocational subjects
- Interior design
- Domestic pipe work
- Catering & food service
- Skin care & hair styling
- Domestic electrical equipment repair
Languages
- Chinese
- Tamil
- Arabic
- Kadazandusun
- Iban
Islamic Studies
- Pend. Al-Quran dan Al-Sunnah
- Pend. Syariah Islamiah
- Tasawur Islam
Arts & Humanities
- Principles of Accounting
- Economics
- Business
- Malay literature
- English literature
- Art & drawing
- Creative multimedia
Schools are given autonomy in providing elective subjects, taking into account school facilities and the availability of teachers for subjects offered. For the complete list of subjects offered in SPM, you can refer to the Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia website. Please keep in mind that in order to pass SPM and receive the certificate, students must pass Malay language and History subjects.
The teaching of Mathematics and Science in English was fully implemented in all secondary schools in 2007 and was abolished in 2013. Since then, the questions in the examinations booklet are given in dual-language. Students have the option to answer their examination papers in either English or Malay according to their preference.
The subjects that use dual-language medium are:
- Mathematics
- Science
- Additional Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Additional Science
The remaining subjects use Malay except for the language and literature subjects. For example, Tamil language and Tamil literature subjects will be using Tamil.
Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) made some changes in the format of a number of papers for the SPM examinations in the year 2021. You can refer to the Buku Format Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2021 for the full review.
Subject Options for IGCSE
IGCSE provides students the flexibility to choose from over 70 subjects, including 30 languages. Students are advised to choose a minimum of 5 subjects and maximum of 14 subjects.
There are no compulsory subjects for IGCSE and students are free to choose the subjects that interests them. However, most schools have made it compulsory for their students to take these three subjects: IGCSE English, Science and Mathematics.
Here is a list of some IGCSE subjects that you can choose:
Languages
- Chinese
- English
- Arabic
- Malay
- French
Humanities and Social Sciences
- Geography
- History
- Economics
- Sociology
- Development Studies
Sciences
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Combined Science
- Physical Science
- Physics
Mathematics
- Cambridge International Mathematics
- Mathematics
Professional and Creative
- Accounting
- Art and Design
- Business Studies
- Design and Technology
- Drama
For a complete list of Cambridge IGCSE subjects, you can check them out on the Cambridge Assessment Internation Education website.
IGCSE focuses on critical thinking, practical skills, application of knowledge and understanding and problem solving abilities. It has a variety of assessment techniques to ensure that students don’t just memorise without understanding but learn, understand and apply what they have learned in an appropriate manner.
All IGCSE papers are in English as the examination uses English as the language medium except for specific language papers. For example, the Malay Language paper uses the Malay language as the medium.
Core Curriculum
The core curriculum is within the ability range of large majority of students. It provides a full overview of the subject and is targeted at students expected to achieve grades C to G.
Extended Curriculum
The extended curriculum on the other hand, is suited for more academically able students. It consists of Core curriculum and the Supplement which leads into higher education and professional training.
The Supplement describes the extra topics or depth which must be added to the Core curriculum to produce the Extended curriculum. It is targeted at students expected to achieve A* to E.
Do keep in mind that students do not need to enter for the same level of curriculum in all subjects. If you are a mid-level student, you are encouraged to take up extended curriculum subjects as you have the potential to achieve higher than C grade.
In some subjects, the exam covers the complete ability range and there is no choice of Core and Extended papers. For these subjects, the full range of grades is available.
SPM VS IGCSE: Which one is the better choice?
If you decide to go with SPM, one of the biggest plus point is the cost. Students who join the government school are not required to pay any school fee. The only cost born by students or parents are the, school uniform, additional study materials purchased and if necessary, extra tutoring outside of school.
Meanwhile, with IGCSE, it can cost from RM20,000 to RM100,000 per year depending on the school you attend, how many papers you take and the textbooks you use. There are slightly more affordable options if you opt for private learning centres or hire tutors for home-schooling but it is not as affordable as SPM.
In terms of subjects, IGCSE definitely has the upper hand where there are more than 70 subjects for students to choose from and the flexibility to choose any subjects. The number of subjects required is also lower where the minimum is five. For SPM, students normally take 9 to 12 subjects.
Achieving good results in your SPM will give you the chance to pursue Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) which translates to Malaysian Higher School Certificate, enter matriculation programme or both public and private universities in Malaysia and overseas. With IGCSE, good results will lead you towards local or international private university or college. IGCSE is recognised internationally and is one of the most popular secondary education qualification.
Both SPM and IGCSE are examinations of equivalent level and is widely recognised all over the world. One is not better than the other but each has its pros and cons. Choose the best option for you based on your budget, ability, preferred duration and where you plan to pursue your tertiary education.
Need help to prepare for SPM or IGCSE?
If you require assistance to prepare for either SPM or IGCSE examinations, you can always look for private tutors on Superprof.
A tutor from Superprof is usually an experienced teacher in a specific subject. He or she will assess, assist and support students during the learning process. You will receive all the help you need in understanding your subject and feel confident when answering exam questions.
The benefit of having a private tutor is that he or she will come up with a unique study plan that will suit your learning style as every student has different needs and abilities.
Apart from teaching and coaching, a tutor is also responsible to review materials he or she uses in the class, clarify in-depth about the topics in the specific subject, answer students’ questions and doubt regarding that specific topic.
You can opt for physical or online learning sessions based on your preference. You can schedule your lessons to suit your convenience. Discuss with your tutors what times are the best fit for both of you.
Superprof offers the most experienced tutors inside and outside of Malaysia. Take this advantage to learn from the best tutor available.
Whatever choice you make, SPM or IGCSE, Superprof has the best tutors to suit your needs.
We at Superprof believe that every student has the ability to learn and achieve anything they want if they are given the proper guidance and support that they require.
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I got almost all the answers to several questions that I had in mind.
Hi Qamar! Really glad that you’ve found this article helpful :)
is there any islamic finance subject in spm ?
Thanks for sharing well information in short article