Latest news with #FormSix
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
STPM top scorer rises above adversity after accident
MELAKA: A 20-year-old student beat the odds to excel in last year's Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examination, obtaining a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.0. Nur Umairah Mohd Desa, the fourth of five siblings, sustained severe injuries in a road accident while riding a motorcycle home from school in Perlis with her friend in August last year, just weeks before their second-semester exam. She said the accident left her with limited time to revise, adding that she had to endure extreme pain while sitting for the test. 'The results were unsatisfactory. At the same time, my family was going through some issues, and we were forced to move from Perlis to Melaka to live with my sister in Masjid Tanah. 'It wasn't easy, especially since my friends and teachers in Perlis had become like a family to me. They took care of me and supported me until I completed the test,' she told reporters after the state-level 2024 STPM Appreciation Ceremony in Bukit Baru, here today. Nur Umairah was among the high-achieving students honoured during the ceremony, which Melaka Education director Mahfudzah Mohamed Noor officiated. She said, despite the difficulties, she remained high-spirited and determined to complete her social science studies at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Alaudin, Masjid Tanah. 'There were times I felt like giving up because my second-semester results were not good, but my teachers and family kept me going and motivated me to work hard until I achieved excellent results,' she said. According to Nur Umairah, she scored 5As in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination and was offered a place at public universities, but she was determined to pursue Form Six studies. 'I've always been interested in Form Six as it offers more opportunities to further my studies at the degree level,' she said, adding that she allowed herself only four to five hours of sleep each day to focus on her revision and doing past-year exam papers. 'I intend to pursue a degree in Malay Language Education at Universiti Sains Malaysia to become a teacher,' she added.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Experts call for more matriculation colleges to address entry bottlenecks
KUALA LUMPUR: Experts have proposed the establishment of more matriculation institutions nationwide to address the recurring discourse on entry into the university preparatory programme. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) sociologist Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Teo Kok Seong said the government should adopt a single pre-university pathway, matriculation, and gradually phase out the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) route. "With only one system, everybody goes through matriculation. "If you have two systems, every year we'll face the same chaos, and it's not good for national unity. You are creating a double standard with STPM students," he said. Teo said STPM had declined in popularity due to the length of the programme, the stigma associated with enrolling in Form Six, and its perception as being more difficult. He added that not all schools offering Form Six were adequately resourced to support students in attaining the co-curricular points needed for university entry. Echoing his views, UKM education sociologist Dr Anuar Ahmad said Malaysia needed more matriculation institutions to increase capacity. He said that the issue was not the Bumiputera quota but the limited number of available spots. "Every year, we talk about the same issue. The problem is insufficient places. "We only have 17 matriculation colleges, 15 under the Education Ministry and two under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara). "We hope the government will add two or three more institutions so that children of all races who excel in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) can secure a place in matriculation," he said, adding that such expansion should be included in the 13th Malaysia Plan. Anuar also proposed that all public universities establish their own foundation centres to increase the number of preparatory pathways. "This way, we can increase access to university-level education," he said. However, he added that schools offering STPM should also receive additional funding to enhance the programme and make Form Six an attractive option for SPM leavers. On Monday, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced that all students who obtained 10As in the SPM, including those with A- grades, would be guaranteed a place in the matriculation programme. She, however, affirmed that the 90 per cent Bumiputera quota would remain. Two days earlier, Fadhlina said that students with 10As, including A- grades, would need to apply to matriculation institutions and would be assessed based on merit. Last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also announced that all SPM candidates scoring 10As would be offered a place in matriculation colleges. The matriculation programme was introduced in 1998. In 2005, the government opened it to non-Bumiputeras with a 10 per cent quota. Debates over matriculation entry criteria have become a yearly issue, often revolving around merit and race.
The Sun
5 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Form Six breaks barriers, gets major boost
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 300 scholarships will be awarded to outstanding Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) graduates to pursue education degrees at public universities and teacher training institutes, said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. She said the initiative is part of the Education Ministry's efforts to create more pathways for high-achieving Form Six students and to cultivate a new generation of qualified and passionate educators. 'Previously, only SPM holders were eligible to enrol in public teacher education institutes,' Fadhlina said during the excellence appreciation ceremony for the national-level STPM, MUET (Malaysian University English Test) and SKBMW (Malay Language Proficiency Certificate Test for Foreign Citizens) on Tuesday. 'Now, STPM graduates have the opportunity to undergo formal training to become future educators. 'We want to nurture individuals with the drive, commitment and integrity to uplift the teaching profession and become exemplary leaders in the field.' The announcement comes as the ministry intensifies efforts to reposition Form Six as a competitive and respected post-SPM option. This year's STPM results saw the nation's highest-ever cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.85, with 1,266 candidates scoring a perfect 4 – the highest score since the current exam format was introduced. 'With this encouraging performance, and considering STPM's global recognition for academic quality, I strongly urge more SPM school-leavers to view Form Six as a serious academic route.' Fadhlina said the ministry has rolled out various initiatives in recent years, including curriculum enhancements, leadership development, financial support and closer integration with the higher education sector to strengthen the Form Six ecosystem. Among the most notable is the Form Six university transition pilot programme, launched earlier this month in collaboration with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Sains Malaysia. 'The initiative places Form Six students in residential university campuses, where they gain full access to facilities, laboratories, academic activities and digital infrastructure. 'While they continue preparing for their STPM examinations, the immersive university environment helps ease their transition into tertiary education. 'We hope to expand this model to more public universities in the future.' To further promote student engagement and leadership, Fadhlina announced the upcoming formation of a national-level Form Six student council, with elections scheduled to take place after the new intake completes registration. The council is expected to be formalised by October. 'The council will give Form Six students a platform to voice their views and bring them closer to the ministry. It's about building character and leadership beyond academic achievement.' Fadhlina said financial support also remains a core focus. 'All Form Six students now receive RM150 in early school assistance, while 500 B40 students are currently receiving RM100 monthly stipends under the Farm Fresh STPM student bursary programme, launched in May and continuing until December 2025. 'We are working to reduce financial barriers so that students from all backgrounds can thrive.' In recognition of academic excellence, 14 schools with top achievements under the STPM Modular System 2 and 3 will each receive RM80,000 in support from the Malaysia Examinations Council and Bank Islam. Fadhlina also reminded the public that STPM represents more than just an academic qualification – it is a platform for holistic growth and national contribution. 'STPM is not just about grades. It's about resilience, vision and the strength of character our young people carry with them. 'And if anyone is still wondering who stands behind these students, let it be known that the Education Ministry is with them every step of the way.' Separately, in response to concerns over matriculation entry criteria, Fadhlina clarified that an A- is still considered excellent, and there is no policy that excludes students based on this grade. 'Let me be clear: we never said an A- is not an A. Entry into matriculation is based on merit. All qualified students will go through a fair and transparent process.' Noting that 86% of matriculation applicants sat for nine subjects while 14% took 10, she also called for fairness in evaluating all students, regardless of the number of subjects taken. A total of 42,861 candidates registered for the 2024 STPM examination. Of the figure, 41,434 (96.67%) sat for all three semesters. The majority of the candidates were from the Social Science stream.
The Star
5 days ago
- General
- The Star
Sharp rise in top STPM scorers after previous year's dip
Honouring the best: Fadhlina (centre) with Prof Md Amin (second from left) interacting with awardees during the STPM top scorers' award presentation ceremony. — Low Lay Phon/The Star SELAYANG: The number of candidates scoring a 4.00 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) 2024 examination has recorded a significant increase, rebounding from the noticeable decline seen the year before. Overall, 1,266 (3.06%) of the STPM 2024 candidates scored a perfect 4.00 CGPA, the highest in the examination's history. In 2023, the number of 4.00 scorers were 1,116. The number of candidates who scored 5As in all five subjects also increased from 41 in STPM 2023 to 53 this year. Meanwhile, those who achieved 4As rose to 1,228 candidates, up from 1,087 in 2023. About 10.71% of all candidates had a CGPA of 3.75 and above, 44.97% had a CGPA of 3.00 and above, 58.96% had a CGPA of 2.75 and above, and 90.10% had a CGPA of 2.00 and above. This marked an overall improvement from 2023, said Malaysian Examinations Council (MPM) chairman Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff. 'With more candidates achieving these CGPAs, it is hoped that there will be no obstacles for them to receive offers to study in public universities,' he said at MPM's office here yesterday. All 23 subjects offered, he said, saw more than 60% of candidates achieving grade C and above – a full pass. He added that with the increase in the national CGPA by 0.01 from 2023 to 2.85 this year, and with STPM's internationally recognised standards and quality, he urges more SPM students to consider STPM as their first choice. A total of 41,434 candidates sat for the examinations for all three STPM 2024 semesters. During the award presentation ceremony to top scorers, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek reaffirmed the government's commitment to making Form Six a top post-SPM choice for students. 'Hopefully, with these better results, along with improved incentives and initiatives, we can continue to enhance the quality of Form Six students in the coming years,' she added. She also announced the formation of the Form 6 Madani generation representative council under her purview. 'We are streamlining the Form Six council, where all Form Six student associations will operate under its umbrella,' she said. Fadhlina added that through this effort, the ministry aims to build a Form Six leadership team, particularly to nurture the next generation of national leaders. 'These students will be given the opportunity to be with me and experience the leadership process through an internship programme we call 'Sanggar Bitara',' she said. She said the students will observe how leadership operates and how policy decisions are made, adding that programmes like this – along with the Form Six council – must be supported to help shape these students into future leaders as part of Malaysia's regeneration programme. Meanwhile, Fadhlina also said that 300 scholarships are reserved for outstanding STPM graduates pursuing education degrees in public institutions. She said the ministry is focusing its attention on supporting talented and competent individuals who have achieved good STPM results to further their studies in the field of education. 'I hope that STPM graduates will apply and look into this offer to further their studies in the field of education,' she said. Separately, Fadhlina also stated that the MPM will be implementing a mechanism referred to as 'patching', which enables STPM students to retake selected subjects within the same academic year to improve their grades and university admission prospects.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
MOE Clarifies No Circular on A- Grade Exclusion in Matriculation
KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry (MOE) has never issued any circular stating that an A- grade is not considered an excellent result or that students with such grades are ineligible to apply for the matriculation programme. Minister Fadhlina Sidek dismissed the claims as baseless and stressed that all students with excellent academic achievement are eligible to apply for the programme under the existing merit system. 'We have never issued any circular stating that A- is not equivalent to an A, or that A- is not excellent. We have never said such a thing,' she said. She was speaking to reporters at the 2024 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), Malaysian University English Test and Malay Language Proficiency Certificate for Foreign Nationals Outstanding Student Award Ceremony here today. Fadhlina said this year's matriculation intake process was among the most orderly and smooth, conducted transparently by taking into account various factors, including the number of subjects taken and the stipulated merit points. She added that programmes focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) continue to prioritise student selection based on academic performance and merit, including through the Physical Activity, Sports and Co-curriculum Assessment (PAJSK) system. 'I hope this explanation clears the air. We have conducted this process fairly to ensure that all students are given opportunities based on priority and the allocated quotas,' she said. She also said that automatic admission into MOE's matriculation programme is given to students who obtain 10As and above (A+ and A grades). In another development, Fadhlina said the ministry will establish a Form Six Council by October to strengthen student leadership and serve as a voice for students nationwide. She said the council will bring together student leaders from across the country once school-level leadership elections are completed. 'Once new students register for Form Six, we will begin the leadership selection process for their associations. The selected leaders will then be brought together under the Form Six Council,' she said. Fadhlina said the establishment of the council aims to foster closer engagement between students, the ministry and its top leadership. 'This council will undoubtedly enhance Form Six student leadership. It will serve as their voice and bring them closer to the MOE and the minister, as it will be placed under the Education Minister's purview. 'We will build a strong Form Six team spirit... they will also be given opportunities to work with me in the office, gaining exposure to processes and internship programmes,' she said.
