A former minister has called for the STPM higher school certificate and matriculation pathways for admission into public universities to be placed under the purview of the higher education ministry rather than the education ministry.
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said one of the root causes of the recurring controversy over university admissions annually lies in the fragmented system.
He said there have been discussions within the government that both streams should be consolidated under the higher education ministry, which is far better placed to understand the needs of tertiary institutions and their students.
“Placing both streams under the ministry will facilitate the creation of a single system of university admission – one that is transparent, equitable, and accountable,” he said in a post on X.
The former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister also suggested the creation of a simulator where applicants for public universities can assess their chances based on their results, allowing for greater understanding of the admission system.
“There should be a transparent process for students and parents to understand the admission system,” he said.
On Friday, Universiti Malaya Association of New Youth (Umany) had called for matriculation to be replaced by STPM as the sole standard for university admission. The association’s president, Tang Yi Ze, had said the STPM syllabus was better since it was more challenging and was internationally recognised.
UM then defended the matriculation programme, with vice-chancellor Noor Azuan Abu Osman saying that it played a key role as a comprehensive education system providing access to higher education for students from diverse backgrounds.
On Saturday, Umany clarified that it had not intended to call for the abolition of the matriculation programme but had sought a merger of the programme with the STPM higher school certificate as the university entrance qualification.
The student group admitted that its use of the word “abolish” in its statement on Friday had led to confusion and rubbed certain quarters the wrong way.
It also clarified that its calls for an integrated examination system was not racial in nature, but rather to improve on the existing system to ensure it is more transparent and fair.
Umany had on Friday submitted a memorandum to the higher education ministry on how to address concerns over admission quotas, following a controversy sparked by an STPM top-scorer who failed to obtain a place in UM’s accountancy course.
