MOE Denies Allegations Of Using TikTokers For SPM English Listening Test
Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students and teachers alike were disappointed by the quality of the voice actors.
By Deborah Chan — 21 Feb 2023, 01:46 PM
Students and teachers nationwide were disappointed to hear unclear audio recordings in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) English Paper Three listening test that took place recently
A day after the listening test that was held on 16 February, a high school teacher took to his Facebook page to highlight his disappointment and claimed that the Ministry of Education (MOE) had hired influencers as speakers.
The teacher said that the voice recordings from the previous years' were clear and understandable. However, he claimed that the voice actors in this year's exam spoke so fast that they mispronounced certain words.
"Many of my students gave up not even halfway through the paper," wrote the educator.
He added that he was displeased regarding the decision of the board to hire TikTokers to voice the recordings, wondering why they did not hire proficient primary school teachers instead.
As sighted by SAYS, several students also took to their TikTok pages to share the problems they faced during the listening test shortly after the exam
Many claimed that the audio recordings had voice actors that were either too fast, slurred, or speaking in an accent that made it difficult to understand.
A few stated that they had no trouble understanding the Bahasa Melayu listening test but struggled immensely during the English test.
The Examination Board (LP) has since responded and denied having involved social media influencers in the exams
In a statement released by the MOE on 19 February, the board stated that the speakers they used consisted of teachers, lecturers, and university students who were proficient in English.
"The board ensures that all examination materials constructed reached the required levels of usability and reliability, ensuring it is fair for all candidates," read the statement.
The LP added that the speakers' speed rate adhered to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) competency level, and that the board took into consideration the aspect of authentic communication.
"In addition, pre-tests were also conducted with participation of students from both urban and rural locations to check whether the materials met a specified quality level."
