A total of 462,940 candidates sat for the last Peperiksaan Menengah Rendah (PMR) at 3,530 examination centres nationwide today.

The PMR which was introduced in 1992 will be abolished as of next year.    

According to a statement by the Examination Council, Education Ministry, the exam will take place for five days and end on Oct 9.     

It outlined the breakdown of candidates under government, government assisted and government assisted religious schools at 430,146 students; schools under other government agencies apart from the Education Ministry (6,024); state secondary religious schools (9,906) and private schools (13,637).   

Private candidates numbered 1,008 and Sekolah Menengah Agama Rakyat had 2,219.

In KUALA TERENGGANU, 22,497 candidates sat for the exam at 183 examination centres in schools and six hospitals.

Terengganu Education director Zakaria Husin said 158 of them were special needs candidates who were blind, visually impaired, deaf or mute.

“They are provided with special exam papers such as Braille and large print. They are also given between 15 and 40 minutes extra time,” he told Bernama when met at the state Education Department.

A Bernama survey around the city today found the schools crowded with parents sending their children as early as 7am for the first day of the exams.

Some parents were even seen praying while waiting for their children to finish their papers.

- Bernama