Anwar Assures No Change In Bumiputera Quota Despite 10 A's Matriculation Announcement
Students who achieve at least 10 A's in SPM will be guaranteed a place in any matriculation programme.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has assured the public that the current Bumiputera quota system under the Education Ministry's matriculation programme will remain unchanged
His guarantee comes after his announcement that students who obtain at least 10 A's in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination will be guaranteed a place in any matriculation programme regardless of race.
He said the Cabinet made the decision to address the issue of fairness in education.
"The issue often becomes controversial when students pass the SPM but face limited educational opportunities.
"To address this problem [...] the government has decided that starting this year, all students who obtain excellent results, specifically 10 A's and above, will be guaranteed a place in the matriculation programme," he said in his speech in Bukit Jalil yesterday, 30 June.
Anwar said the decision to grant all SPM top scorers, regardless of race, access to matriculation programmes is aimed at reducing tension in the education system and addressing the issue of fairness
He said the Bumiputera quota for matriculation college admission had caused controversy, with some arguing against minority rights and others questioning the rights of Bumiputeras.
"So, [the Cabinet] took a balanced approach. If they are our citizens, we should care for them. Therefore, we must embrace the reality of meritocracy," he said, adding that this decision would ease the racial and social tensions faced by the Education Ministry almost every year.
According to FMT, while racial quotas for admission to public universities were abolished in 2002, matriculation colleges maintain a 90% quota for Bumiputeras, with certain foundation courses exclusively available to Bumiputeras.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the Bumiputera quota would be maintained while providing broader educational opportunities for all outstanding students to pursue higher education
"This is an educational guarantee given by the PM himself, and I, along with the Higher Education Minister (Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir), will examine this matter together. We will ensure that higher education is accessible to everyone, regardless of background and race," she said.
We hope that with this guarantee, there will be no concerns, especially as the Bumiputera quota is maintained. At the same time, educational opportunities will be sufficient, and everyone will get a place to continue their studies," she added.
Image via Danial Saad/New Straits Time
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