Letter to Editor

SINCE Bible Studies is available as an SPM subject, Christian students should consider taking the paper. More emphasis should also be placed on Bible Studies by parents, students, and the Christian community.

At one time, Christian religious studies were offered at the LCE/SRP, SC/SPM, and HSC/STPM levels.

During the 1960s and 1970s, correspondence courses from institutions such as Stamford College, the Malaysian Correspondence College, and the Cambridge Correspondence College enabled more students to take these subjects.

However, today only the SPM Bible Studies paper remains, largely due to declining interest among Christian students and their parents.

The Bible Studies paper is also one of the few SPM subjects conducted entirely in English, allowing students to improve their English proficiency while deepening their understanding of their faith. Unfortunately, fewer students are now sitting for the paper.

One reason for this decline is the perception that the subject is difficult to score in due to strict marking standards. Those involved in marking the papers should exercise reasonable flexibility and recognise that Bible Studies is not formally taught in schools, with many students having to study privately.

There have been cases where students who performed well in other subjects obtained relatively low grades for Bible Studies, discouraging others from taking the paper.

Students who voluntarily sit for the subject should be commended, especially as many rely on assistance from teachers and members of the clergy.

More members of the Christian community should also help make the Bible Studies paper more popular. Many children and teenagers attend Sunday School, yet relatively few go on to take Bible Studies for SPM.

The Sunday School syllabus for secondary students across various Christian denominations could be aligned more closely with the requirements of the Bible Studies paper.

In addition, free online courses and other forms of academic support could be introduced to help students prepare for the examination.

The Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), and churches from various denominations could pool resources to develop such programmes.

Priests and church leaders could also highlight the importance of Bible Studies during sermons and encourage both students and parents to appreciate the subject’s educational and spiritual value.

Besides strengthening faith and religious understanding, studying Bible Studies in English can also help students improve their language proficiency.

More discussions should be held among Christian groups and associations to identify the reasons behind the decline in student participation and to explore ways to revive interest in Christian religious studies.

If necessary, the Bible Studies syllabus could also be updated to make it more relevant and appealing to present-day students. ‒ May 12, 2026

V. Thomas
Sungai Buloh, Selangor

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.

Main image: Superprof

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