AUTOMATIC admission to the matriculation programme should include Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students who scored 9As, instead of only offering guaranteed placements to those who scored 10As and above.
Clearer guidelines must be implemented regarding the eligibility of students. I am worried that “little Napoleons” will deny places to those scoring below 10As.
Those with 9As should have an opportunity to enrol in the matriculation programme, as many students primarily focus on core subjects in the SPM. Few opt to sit for additional subjects like Bahasa Cina and Bahasa Tamil. Moreover, scoring an A in these subjects is not easy.
In one conforming school in Melaka where Bahasa Cina is compulsory, only 40 out of 248 students got an A. That’s only about 17%.It is fairer to grant students with 9As a place; scoring above that should be considered a bonus.
There is a significant difference in the number of students with straight As and those with 10As. In the SPM 2023, there were 11,713 straight-A students comprising both 9As and 10As. The majority obtained 9As.
The 10A students definitely deserve more than just the matriculation programme. They should be given opportunities for foundation studies in public universities, and for those who receive offers from foreign universities, scholarships should be provided to help them.
It is not easy to get 10As, especially 10A+s, and it is our government’s duty to provide the best to our cream of the crop, regardless of race.
MAK CHEE KIN
Chairman
Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education
