9‘A’s SPM students should be allowed entry to matriculation programme

Admission to the matriculation programme should include Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students who scored 9‘A’s, said Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education (Magpie) chairman Mak Chee Kin.

“Automatic admission to the matriculation programme should include SPM students who scored 9‘A’s, instead of only offering guaranteed placements to those who scored 10‘A’s and above,” he said, reported The Star.

“Those with 9‘A’s should have an opportunity to enrol in the matriculation programme, as many students primarily focus on core subjects in the SPM. Few opt to sit for additional subjects like Bahasa Cina and Bahasa Tamil. Moreover, scoring an ‘A’ in these subjects is not easy,” he added.

In the 2023 SPM results, a notable disparity exists between students achieving straight ‘A’s and those attaining 10’A’s, he said. Specifically, out of 11,713 students who achieved straight As, the majority earned 9‘A’s he added.

“The 10‘A’ students definitely deserve more than just the matriculation programme. They should be given opportunities for foundation studies in public universities, and for those who receive offers from foreign universities, scholarships should be provided to help them.

“It is not easy to get 10As, especially 10A+s, and it is our government’s duty to provide the best to our cream of the crop, regardless of race,’’ he said.

He said that only 40 out of 248 students at a conforming school in Melaka, where Bahasa Cina is compulsory, attained an A grade.

“That’s only about 17%. It is fairer to grant students with 9As a place; scoring above that should be considered a bonus,” he added.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim declared on June 30 that students who score 10 ‘A’s or more in SPM will secure admission into the matriculation program, irrespective of their race or background.

Agamam Ani Malaysia, a coalition of NGOs, argued that the requirement of achieving 10 ‘A’s will not benefit Indian students due to the low number of students taking 10 SPM subjects.

Dewan Negara Senator Sivaraj Chandran highlighted concerns that the requirement of achieving 10 ‘A’s in SPM for matriculation spots might marginalize Indian students.