Universiti Malaya has defended the matriculation programme for university entrance, in the face of a student group’s call for the abolition of the programme.
The student group had called for matriculation to be replaced by the STPM (Sixth Form examination) as the sole standard for admission to degree programmes at public universities.
UM vice-chancellor Noor Azuan Abu Osman said the national matriculation programme played a key role as a comprehensive education system providing access to higher education for students from diverse backgrounds.
“The system is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure more inclusive and equitable educational opportunities for all. UM remains committed to supporting the national education policy based on the principles of justice, accessibility and human capital development for the sake of national progress,” Bernama reported him as saying today.
He said the call for abolition, raised by the Universiti Malaya Association of New Youth, did not reflect the university’s official stance. Association president Tang Yi Ze had said that the STPM syllabus has proven to be better as it was more challenging and was internationally recognised.
Noor Azuan said while UM has always supported freedom of expression, such freedom “must come with due consideration of the sensitivity and implications of statements made, especially those involving public policy”.
Another student group, the National Student Consultative Council, said the matriculation programme was a vital pathway to higher education, and its abolition would undermine the long-term interests of the country’s educational development.
It condemned “any action, call or approach that may affect the well-being of students and cause public unrest”, and said any educational issue “must be discussed rationally and professionally and not be based solely on emotions or specific interests”.
