Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s better performance in the 2025 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam reflects the positive impact of RM1.3 billion in education aid provided by the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-led state government over the past five years.
Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and parents credited Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor’s initiatives to empower education development under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) plan for strengthening academic outcomes and easing the burden on families.
Datuk George Teo, Chairman of the PTA of Seventh Adventist Secondary School Tamparuli, said the steady performance of overall SPM results was evident, with Sabah recording its best performance since 2021.
He said Sabah marked the best achievement with a Grade Point Average (GPN) of 4.85 in the 2025 SPM result which was better than 5.00 GPA in SPM 2025, as announced by the State Education Department Director Datuk Raisin Saidin in Ranau on April 1.
“We are thankful and grateful that the RM1.3 billion spent by the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government on Sabah’s education aid from 2021 to 2025 under Phase 1 of the SMJ plan has resulted in producing the best outcome in SPM 2025,” he said.
Raisin had said that 605 SPM candidates obtained a combination of A+, A and A-compared to 504 in 2024. While Minister in the Prime Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud noted it was the first time for Sabah to move out of the 5.00 GPN range, making it a significant milestone in the State’s education performance.
George said the RM1.3 billion education aid given by GRS – the highest in Sabah’s history since independence – had enhanced access to learning resources, improved school facilities and strengthened academic support systems, particularly for students in rural and interior areas.
“The allocation also helped reduce disparities in education and ensured more equitable opportunities for students state-wide,” he said.
Lasmin Lopog, PTA Chairman of SMK Tun Fuad Kiulu, said the GRS aid programmes benefited not only students and schools, but also parents.
He said one of the government aid, the ‘Bantuan Aktiviti Guru dan Sekolah’ (BAGUS) programme, which provides direct financial assistance to PTAs, enabled schools to carry out more academic and co-curricular activities.
“It also helped schools address immediate needs without placing additional financial pressure on parents, especially those from lower-income groups,” Lasmin said, adding that the initiatives had strengthened collaboration between schools and local communities.
SMK Badin Tuaran PTA Chairman Sany Abdilah Ahmad said the RM1.3 billion education aid under Hajiji is more structured and policy-driven, allowing long-term education strategies to be implemented effectively.
“This has created a more stable learning environment and contributed to consistent improvements in student performance each year.
“This year’s results, with a GPN of 4.85, are the best so far and reflects the effectiveness of a systematic approach to education development,” he said.
A parent, Sunny Ng, expressed gratitude to the State Government after his daughter, Ng Yen Teng, who scored 10As in the SPM at Kian Kok Secondary School, was awarded a Sabah state scholarship to pursue a five-year medical degree at a local university.
“This kind of recognition motivates students to excel, knowing that their hard work will be rewarded,” he said.
Ng also welcomed the state’s recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), describing it as a progressive move that encourages students sitting for both UEC and SPM to perform well while expanding their academic pathways.
