2-for-1 deal with SPM Bible Knowledge
Score in an additional subject for SPM and deepen your knowledge of Jesus. Quite a good 2-for-1 deal for Christian youth.
Form 3, 4 and 5 students are encouraged to enrol for the SPM Bible Knowledge classes which begin on 5 February, from 8.30-9.45 am on Sundays.
Bible Knowledge (BK) is a Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) elective subject which covers the life and teaching of Jesus Christ as found in the Gospel of Luke and the founding of the early Church as found in the Acts of the Apostles.
The Bible chosen for this course is the Good News Bible as the English is much easier to understand than other versions of the Bible. Students only need to relate the key events in these books, stories which many of them are already familiar with.
Students who attend classes regularly in the various Catholic Churches, take part in the Bible camp, seminar, quizzes and trial exam organised by the Archdiocese, have been doing very well and scoring As.
It is hoped than more parents encourage their children to take this subject as they will be equipped with a moral compass to guide all their actions and decisions in everyday living, said long-time BK teacher Dr Peter Pereira.
The texts and questions are in English and students have to answer in English as well. The teachers are well-connected to the Teachers Christian Fellowship as well as to teachers who have taught BK for more than 10 years. They keep abreast of exam developments and share trial exam papers.
Classes will be held at Bilik Ignatius and Bilik Francis Xavier. Contact Peter (016-2442484), Sheila (019-3137263) or Ivy (019-2652300).
Background
Bible Knowledge was first introduced in the mission schools throughout the country in the 1940s. It was offered during the Malayan Certificate of Education (MCE) and later, in the Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP) and SPM.
However, the number of schools and students taking the subject decreased to about 500 candidates in the 1980s as it was no longer deemed compulsory to teach the subject in schools. In 1993, BK was no longer in the Form Three examination.
The number continued to drop to 200 candidates to the point that in 1994 it was taken out of SPM and listed as a Sijil Am Pelajaran (SAP) subject.
BK was re-instated as an SPM subject with 20 candidates in 1995. It peaked in 2009 and 2010 with 1000+ candidates. Now it has an average of 500 – 700 candidates per year.
In the Gospel of Luke, students get to know about the life of Jesus and especially what he taught. This will help students understand the impact Jesus had on the world and how he changed the social order of that time. Students get to develop a personal relationship with Jesus and learn to put their trust in him. This greatly helps them in making the important decisions in their lives.
In The Acts of the Apostles, students learn about the early development of the Church and how it spread throughout the world. They get to understand the struggles of the apostles to get the message of Jesus to us and how His teachings became a prominent religion influencing all aspects of our daily lives. - Dr Peter Pereira
