Guarantee first-choice placement for top STPM students: DAP Youth

Summary

• DAP Youth is urging the Higher Education Ministry to guarantee automatic placement for STPM students who score a CGPA of 4.0 into their preferred university and programme.

• Its national chief Woo Kah Leong says this would reflect fairness and meritocracy while addressing imbalances between STPM and matriculation pathways.

• He calls for consistent reforms, citing the recent cabinet move to automatically place SPM 10A scorers in matriculation regardless of race.

DAP Youth has urged the Higher Education Ministry to guarantee top Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) scorers automatic admission into their first-choice university and programme.

In calling for an immediate reform, its national chief Woo Kah Leong asserted that all STPM students who achieved a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.0 should be rewarded accordingly to acknowledge their merit and effort.

“This step serves as a form of recognition for the hard work of STPM students and reflects the principles of fairness and meritocracy that should underpin the nation’s higher education system,” he said in a statement today.

Woo highlighted that under the current pre-university system, matriculation students enjoy “significantly greater advantages”, resulting in many high-achieving STPM students missing out on a spot at their preferred public universities and top courses.

“This imbalance in the pre-university system, which negatively impacts the morale, motivation, and future prospects of STPM students, should not be a barrier to their advancement into top local universities such as Universiti Malaya and others.

“DAP Youth has consistently emphasised that educational reform is not only capable of enhancing quality and competitiveness, but also helps students transform the lives of their families,” the Pasir Bedamar assemblyperson added.

Don’t overlook excellent students

Referencing how the government had earlier guaranteed automatic admission into matriculation for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia students who achieve 10 As, Woo advocated for a similar approach to be extended to STPM students.

“Malaysia can no longer afford to overlook excellent STPM students.

“All stakeholders must intensify reform efforts in various forms for the well-being and sustainability of our national education system,” he stressed.

Earlier this week, the cabinet announced that all students who scored 10As and above, including A-, in the 2024 SPM examinations will receive places in matriculation programmes regardless of their racial background.

The Malaysian Examinations Council previously said the CGPA recorded for the STPM 2024 batch is the highest national CGPA since the examination was introduced.

A total of 1,266 (3.06 percent) of the candidates scored a perfect CGPA of 4.00.

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