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Daily Express
7 hours ago
- General
- Daily Express
Expanding education to Sabah's rural areas
Published on: Sunday, June 29, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 29, 2025 By: Nora Ahmad Text Size: Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek - pix Bernama Kota Kinabalu: The Education Ministry is intensifying efforts to ensure Sabah is not left behind in education, particularly in rural areas. Its Minister, Fadhlina Sidek, said Sabah remains a priority in the implementation of national education policies and reforms. 'We are committed to addressing issues of access and ensuring no student is left behind,' she said, after attending the 69th anniversary celebration of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), Saturday. She said the Ministry is working closely with Ministry of Defence (Mindef) to expand educational access in the interior through a special programme in the state. 'A programme known as ProKhas has been launched in Kg Serudong Laut, Tawau, under Mindef's Jiwa Murni initiative. We're collaborating with Mindef to build a school in Kg Serudong Laut. This joint commitment aims to develop educational facilities in the area with full involvement from the local community,' she explained. Although the construction of the school is still in the planning stage, she said learning sessions have already begun to prevent children from falling behind. 'Reading classes are being conducted by a rotation of teachers provided by the Sabah State Education Department (JPNS). 'During our visit, around 20 to 30 pupils were already attending classes. We are now gathering data to determine the full number of students, with the aim of ensuring consistent attendance. The numbers are expected to increase over time,' she added. Fadhlina also expressed pride in Sabah's recent academic achievements in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examination. 'More than 146 students in Sabah scored a perfect CGPA of 4.0, this is a clear testament to the success of the education reforms we have put in place. 'This achievement will further motivate the MoE to strengthen the implementation of educational programmes, including enhancing the Form Six pathway in the state,' she said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
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.
Barnama
3 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
UP_TVET Receives Over 189,000 Applications For July Intake
GENERAL PETALING JAYA, June 26 (Bernama) -- The TVET Admission Unit (UP_TVET) received 189,304 applications to attend Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses nationwide for the July intake. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the number showed a significant increase compared to the previous intake of 146,000, thus showing the increasing interest in the TVET field among students. In fact, UP_TVET is also coordinating the placement of students who failed to secure a place in public higher education institutions after completing the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM). "For STPM students who could not get into any university, we would like to offer the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN), where six universities, especially those under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), namely Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia (UPTM), for them to choose courses that interest them," he said. He said this after chairing the Coordination Meeting between the Minister of Rural and Regional Development and the Rural Exco Members (MEXCLUB) on June 26, 2025 here today. According to Ahmad Zahid, the opportunity is open to all races to ensure that no students drop out of higher education, especially in the technical and professional fields which are currently in high demand in the job market. "UniKL will offer technical courses while UPTM focuses on professional courses," he said. At the meeting, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, launched the Desa Kirana programme which focuses on efforts to strengthen the ecosystem and promote rural tourism products, as early preparations for Visit Malaysia Year 2026. He said two locations had been selected for the implementation of the programme this year, namely Kampung Lonek in Negeri Sembilan and Kampung Tanjung Surat in Johor, while 18 more locations were being identified.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
TVET applications surge to 189,000, more opportunities offered to STPM leavers
PETALING JAYA: The total number of applications for the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) July 2025 intake has increased significantly compared to last year, rising from 146,000 to 189,304, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He said the government is now offering more opportunities to STPM holders who may not have secured a place in public universities due to limited spots. 'For those with STPM qualifications who didn't get accepted into any university, we are offering places through the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN), particularly at six institutions. 'Additionally, under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW), institutions such as UniKL and University Poly-Tech Malaysia (UPTM) are also open for applications,' he said. Zahid, who chairs the National TVET Council, said STPM holders can apply for technical programmes at UniKL and professional-based courses at UPTM, depending on their interests and academic background. 'These programmes are open to all races,' he added. He also said that students with strong SPM results are eligible to enrol in foundational-level technical courses at UniKL and UPTM, providing more flexible entry points into the TVET ecosystem.
