A total of 9,350 students have been successful in their application to be placed in fully residential schools (SBP) in the country for the school session next year (2019).

In a statement yesterday, the Education Ministry said that out of the total, 52.28 percent or 4,888 candidates were students from the B40 (low income) group.

"It was an increase of 15.34 percent compared to this year’s intake,” it added.

The ministry said that from next year, the government had decided to restore the spirit of SBP by helping students from the B40 group, in line with the new government policy to assist the less fortunate obtain quality education facilities.

It said that although the ministry’s target was to place 60 percent of SBP students from the B40 group, the total of 52.28 percent was an achievement because, by comparison, the increase was almost 60 percent compared to this year’s intake .

Indirectly, the increase in the intake of the B40 students had achieved the ministry and government's aspirations, added the statement.

"The ministry is confident that the intake this time will provide more opportunities for children from B40 families whether they are from rural areas, the urban poor or children of uniformed personnel, to gain a better education.

"The ministry will continue to improve its proactive approach to increase the number of students in SBP from the B40 group in the coming years," he said.

Clearly, the SBP’s admission offer had also taken into account the results of the Admission Test for Residential Schools (UKSBP) and the merits of the Physical Activity, Sports and Co-curricular (PAJSK) and Psychometric Assessment.

In the meantime, he said those who failed in their application could file an appeal online at the ministry’s official portal at www.moe.gov.my until Jan 15, 2019.

It added that KPM had received 77,487 applications to gain admission into the SBP.

- Bernama