KUALA LUMPUR : The Kuala Lumpur Archdiocesan Bible Apostolate (KLABA) is concerned by the directive of the Ministry of Education that from 2010 onwards, students sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) Exam will be able to register for a maximum of 10 subjects only.

This year about 2,000 Christian students have signed up or registered for Bible Knowledge as a subject in the November 2009 SPM exam. This figure only represents a small percentage of all Christians in the country who will be sitting for their 2009 SPM exam. What will happen next year onwards with the 10 subject ruling? Will there be fewer students signing up for Bible Knowledge?

Anthony Gnana, Coordinator for the SPM Bible Knowledge in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur said that Form Five students take nine compulsory core subjects with a choice of another subject. Before the new ruling to take effect next year, SPM students previously could take any number of subjects. Some had taken 14 or even more subjects including Bible Knowledge.

Anthony said that students will have limited choices the last subject allowed — the 10th subject for the Science class is either Mandarin/ Tamil, Science & Technology in English, Principle of Accounts, English Literature or Bible Knowledge. As for the Arts class it is either Mandarin/Tamil, Art, English Science & Technology, English Literature or Bible Knowledge.

Anthony added that parents should be the ones choosing the 10th subject for their child rather than the school authorities. He urged Christian parents to pick Bible Knowledge as a SPM subject as taking Bible Knowledge is a preparation for life for their children.

He concluded by saying that Bible Knowledge which is taught in English, also disciplines students to perform better in other subjects as well. “Accept God’s salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17). — By Bernard Anthony