Announcement on streaming to be made when time is right, says Maszlee

PONTIAN: The Education Ministry will make a proper announcement on the plan to end streaming subjects from Form Four when the time is right, says minister Dr Maszlee Malik.

He stressed that what he mentioned during a town hall session in Germany recently was not a policy announcement, saying the intention was to make sure students were not burdened by streaming in the future.

"But the report seems to make out that the ministry has already announced it as a policy, and we will make the necessary announcement when the time is right.

"Presently, we are taking all the input from stakeholders to improve the system, where it is part of a report made by a policy study committee set up by the Cabinet as requested by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad," said the Simpang Renggam MP when met after officiating Jom Sekolah 2020 programme at SMK Teluk Kerang here on Sunday (Oct 20).

Prior to this, it had been reported that in an unprecedented move, Maszlee had called for the end of subject streaming for Form Four next year, after students got their Form Three Assessment (PT3) results.

Speaking during a meet-and-greet session with the Malaysian community on Monday (Oct 14), he said the streaming system currently carried out in Form Four was ridiculous, as it resulted in many students who were meant to be scientists ending up in arts, and lots of students who were born to excel in the arts being forced to do science subjects.