For the 2020 exam, 9,411 students scored straight As compared with 8,876 in 2019 and the national average grade fell to 4.8, the best in five years. In 2019, it was 4.86. The lower the average grade, the better.

Shaun Edward Cheah, executive director of the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the scores should not be seen as an assessment of key qualities that would make achievers stand out in the job market: commitment, creativity and excellence in communication.

“No matter what your education level, with these three you can succeed in anything other than advanced jobs in fields such as medicine and engineering,” he told FMT.

He said no amount of focus on “rote learning and regurgitating memorised information” would help anyone in his career.

Kam Lian Hooi, president of the Small And Medium Enterprises Association, said there should be a sharper focus on preparing students to perform jobs “only humans can do” by prioritising aspects such as leadership and critical thinking.

He said any revision to the education syllabus should take into account trends such as digital transformation, automation and artificial intelligence.

Tan Ai Mei, an educationist and researcher, said there was a need for an honest assessment of the learning outcomes achieved by students, adding that parents and schools should not be blinded by good results.

“We need to remember that pass marks aren’t set in stone. The pass mark is fluid and things like grades can’t always be looked at in isolation.

“People should not be misled by results. Education is not just about scores. There is much more to it.”

She said some key skills which were crucial for those intending to pursue higher education were not assessed in the SPM.

“Our teachers sometimes see student assessment as based purely on exams, but they don’t cover soft skills like communication, problem solving and strategic planning,” she said.