Education Malaysia for Students

Bernama: The issue involving excellent students who failed to secure places in public universities each year must be resolved in an effective manner to prevent recurrence. National Professors' Council education and human capital development cluster chief Professor Datuk Dr Zakaria Kasa said this was vital if Malaysia was serious in achieving the vision of becoming international higher education excellence centre by the year 2020. "How can we take more international students when our excellent ones can't even secure places in local universities?" he said when contacted by Bernama here today. [...] In this context, Zakaria said the government should consider using a certain mechanism in providing sufficient places, including by giving financial aid to the students to pursue their studies in private institutions of higher learning (IPTS). "We have to understand that besides being well-established institutions, the other reason for these students wanting to en

Bernama: Is it time for the Ministry of Education to seriously consider having a common university entrance exam as a long term solution to the problem of top scorers not obtaining places in local universities? Gerakan Education Bureau chairman Lau Chin Hoon certainly thinks so on the basis that the present dual system for entry, namely the STPM and matriculation, has become a source of discontentment for some despite a more merit based intake. "A 4.0 CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) in matriculation and a 4.0 CGPA in STPM is simply not on the same level. In terms of parameter procedure they are two entirely different examinations. That is why, we should standardise to a single entrance exam," he explained. This is due to the fact that the STPM is affiliated with the Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate while the matriculation is based on a combination of coursework, examination and lecturer evaluation. He said without a unified entrance exam people would always