OVER 400,000 students who sat for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2021 written examinations early this year will receive their results on Thursday, June 16.
Whatever your results may be, receive it with an open heart and continue moving forward and doing your best, Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin had advised the candidates in a recent Facebook video.
The announcement of the results comes at a time when the nation is transitioning to the endemic phase of the global Covid-19 health crisis.
With the release of the results, higher education institutions nationwide will see a flurry of activity, from having open days to admitting students for enrolment.
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Students and parents too will be making plans and enquiries before submitting applications and deciding on their tertiary choices.
A key factor that will influence the decision-making process will be the funds needed to pay for the studies – a consideration that is most crucial, especially for students from B40 and M40 households.
The fees for a full undergraduate programme at a local public university can start from RM7,700 and rise to hundreds of thousands of ringgit at private institutions.
And these do not include cost-of-living expenses such as meals, accommodation and transportation.
Although there are signs that the economy is showing positive growth, it will be some time before most households and sectors recover from the disruptions and financial losses caused by the pandemic for the past two years.
Malaysians are also feeling the repercussions of the ongoing Ukraine War, which has seen further inflation at home and around the world.
According to a World Bank survey conducted in October and November last year, one-third of Malaysia’s pre-pandemic workers still worked with less income.
The survey also found that recovery had been slower among poor and vulnerable groups. Young workers, those with lower levels of education, and low-income earners were more likely to continue experiencing work stoppage and job switching, it said.
It added that although over half of households had regained their pre-pandemic income levels by November 2021, less educated workers, those running businesses and workers who were informally employed remained vulnerable to income losses.
While the government has stepped up efforts to protect these groups, more remains to be done to ensure no one is left out.
The disbursement of scholarships for students to pursue their tertiary education is one avenue in which stakeholders can play a part in helping children from families whose financial circumstances have been affected by the pandemic.
There are many types of scholarships one can apply for – from the government, private corporations, and public and private universities.
The competition will be stiff, judging by the sheer number of students who sat for the SPM, but it will be a ticket out for those selected.
Note:
• SPM 2021 candidates can obtain their exam results on June 16 via: their respective schools (from 10am onwards); myresultspm.moe.gov.my, (from 10am onwards); or short message service (SMS) where candidates can check by typing SPMMyKad NumberRoll Number and SMS to 15888.
• The Star Education Fund Scholarship 2022 is now open for applications, offering 187 scholarships worth RM12.6mil from 25 institutions. Applications can be submitted through The Star Education Fund website at thestar.com.my/edufund. The e-application must be submitted within two weeks after the release of SPM or STPM results.
