STPM Graduates Sidelined by Public Universities?

STPM and Matrikulasi graduates will soon be getting the public university application results on Friday this week. After the USM's glitch created wave of disapproval from the whole nation, no one can be quite sure how ready the rest of our non-apex public universities are to change, towards having a more transparent and meritocratic intake system. If even the most prestigious Public Service Department scholarship is not ready to abolish the quota based selection system yet, I'm not too optimistic that our public universities will take the challenge to ensure a fair student intake; and as usual, STPM students tend to get some residual courses that most Matrikulasi graduates will usually consider last.

It's sad but true, that STPM, or the Pre U program previously known as HSC has lost its importance in producing most of the future professionals in Malaysia, because the role has been taken over by Matrikulasi, which constantly produces batches of CGPA4.0 students that they claimed to have equal qualification as Sixth Form studies (STPM). It's also not a secret anymore that public universities favor Matrikulasi graduates compared to the STPM graduates who obtain the same or even higher level of results in their exams.

Our Higher Education Department director, Professor Dr. Hassan Said used to say that STPM graduates have more advantages in university admission compared to Matrikulasi graduates. I do not consider it as a lie, because it sounds more like a low-mentality joke by a person carrying the titles "Professor" and "Dr.". This kind of baseless claim has already proven that even the top administration of the Higher Education Department cannot produce a set of standardized method of university student selection, and our government does not seem to have the slightest bit of interests to reform the paralyzed public tertiary education in Malaysia. What is the definition of "STPM students having more advantages", while 80% or more Matrikulasi graduates are occupying the critical courses in public universities?

They seriously should not have blown their trumpet and let the whole world know that Malaysian public universities are adopting merit-based selection if they don't even care( or dare ) to let STPM graduates compete head-on against Matrikulasi graduates, whom they think are better-qualified.

Claims spread by the government that STPM results have greater 'advantage' than Matrikulasi results will only reflect the government's hypocrisy and also their fear for the real Meritocracy.

It was just one year ago when government claimed that STPM graduates are not given equal chance of entry to public universities because they "like going to Singapore(overseas)." Some Pemuda UMNO even rationalized the racist thought that private colleges are custom-made for non-bumiputra and STPM graduates, and hence, they should not be given equal access to public Uni.

It's an irony that when Barisan Nasional is planning how to "lure back" our JPA and MARA sponsored students who refused to serve the country after graduated, they totally (or purposely) forget that thousands of qualified STPM graduates are being given unimportant courses or some even worse, rejected entry into public universities each year. Billions rinngit of Malaysian taxpayer's money are being wasted on overpriced military deals,Space projects, use-and-throw stadiums, the failed and isolated Cyberjaya and many more money wasting programs, but funny enough, equal chances for every young Malaysian to receive quality education is far beyond the sight of our 'far-sighted' politicians.

It is understandable if we let go one good thing, and get something better in return; but is it acceptable to let go one good thing, and reaping all the rotten and most unwanted effects that will obviously do no good to the future of our country?

Can you imagine one day when people can no longer trust our own public universities graduates anymore? What would happen if the certificates of public universities become no value compared to that of private universities? I am not saying that there are no smart and intelligent Matrikulasi graduates, how do you differentiate between a smart graduate and a not so smart graduate if both of them can get into critical courses easily? Just look at the unemployment rate of our local graduates, I believe everyone knows what's wrong with that.

Our Deputy Minister of Education, Wee Ka Siong has just announced that the evaluation system of STPM will be modified from the originally "Terminal system" to "Modular system". This would mean that starting year 2011, STPM students will no longer have to sit for one final exam at the end of the 2 years Pre U study. Instead, Modular system will be adopted whereby sixth formers will be tested on their learning progress in a few different stages. Accumulation of credits will lighten the burden of STPM students who are now still required to master all 2-year-syllabus at one time.

That is a positive change which I would agree on and I think that they should have abolish the "terminal system" long ago. However, that is NOT the dilemma of STPM graduates. The root of all problems lie within the student intake of public universities which have all along sidelined STPM students from getting into critical courses like Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law & Actuarial Science et c.

If Matrikulasi graduates can get into critical courses with only a CGPA of 3.5, STPM students DESERVE to enjoy the same privillege as well.

I will continue to protest against favoritism and the non-meritocratic practice by our public universities, because indifference towards this issue will eventually lead our nation's academic standard to nowhere. Some people may deem this problem as a 'minor issue' that doesnt worth a debate, but very soon, other countries or even Malaysians ourselves will totally lose their confidence and respect towards our tertiary education system.

Remember, it's not too late yet to rebuild public's confidence towards our local public universities. Reject Favoritism & Support Meritocracy.


C Guevara