Education, Higher Education Ministries join hands to secure spots for top scorers

PETALING JAYA: Efforts to identify top-scoring students who were unsuccessful in securing a spot in the matriculation or higher education programmes will be underway soon.

The Education Ministry said it will work with the Higher Education Ministry (MoHE) to screen the number of students who scored 10As and have applied to its matriculation programme or programmes through UPUOnline by the Student Admission Division of public institutions of higher learning (BKPA).

“This is to enable those who were not offered a place to be re-adjusted based on their programme choice,” it said in a statement on Monday (July 1).

The ministry also said the offer of places and fields of study is dependent on the candidates’ qualifications and the vacancy of the matriculation programme while the MoHE will focus on admission to foundation and diploma programmes at public universities.

“This decision was made to ensure that outstanding SPM students and those from B40 families have the opportunity to continue their studies.

“At the same time, the existing Bumiputera quota system for the matriculation programme remains unaffected,” it said.

The ministry’s statement came following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent announcement that all SPM students, regardless of background, who scored 10As and above would get a placement in the matriculation programme starting this year.

On June 30, Anwar said this bold decision was made to ensure that all excellent SPM students have the best opportunity to continue with their studies.

“If our children scored 10As and above or obtained excellent results, without any exception, they will get a place. This is an assurance from the government,” he said during his speech at the closing of the National Training Week 2024 at Bukit Jalil.

He added that the decision was reached after a Cabinet meeting on June 28.