I dispute what Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan reportedly said in a local English daily on Oct 6, 2016 - that students should consider taking up STPM after completing their SPM studies, as it could help them attain a place in public universities after finishing STPM.

Students have valid reasons not to take STPM if they have a choice or option to forego taking Form 6 after finishing Form 5 or SPM studies in government schools.

Not that it is tough to study in Form 6, but they reckon it saves times (about a year) and money by doing matriculation at colleges or in polytechnics.

Also, they are not sure of attaining a place to study at public universities after they complete STPM, in view of set quotas for different races - let alone the course of study they chose.

It is sad to learn that most students were often given ‘strange’ courses of studies and at different universities, too.

The waiting time for placements to local universities could take a few months, coupled with the late announcement for STPM results which usually takes six months or longer. So, this is how students waste about a year before they could actually get started in their studies at local universities.

It is different for students who do their matriculation studies in colleges and polytechnics. You see they get to start almost right away at these places. And also get to study subjects that they choose that lead them to what they intend to major in.

Ultimately, they will save one year on tuition fees plus cost of living and board, et cetera, et cetera when they can start taking the course within a shorter time.

Actually, these students will graduate one year earlier, and will start working when their counterparts are still studying, doing their final year.

Now, you know what you, the deputy education minister, should do to catch up on lost time.

LAU BING is a community activist and writer in Subang Jaya.