Clarify Public Varsity Intake Process Mca Youth Urges Govt As Top Scorers Left Out

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MCA urged the Higher Education Ministry to clarify its process for allocating public university placements.
ADSIn a statement today, MCA Youth education consultative committee chairperson Ong Chee Siang (above) said his party has received numerous complaints from parents about their children failing to receive a spot at public universities, including those who received a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA).
This comes despite the Higher Education Ministry's announcement that 78,883 students have secured spots at public universities, Ong added.
"This has naturally led us to wonder about the specific allocation of places.
"It would be helpful if the ministry could provide clarity on how many places were filled through the open fee-paying channel, how many through the public university admissions (UPU) system, and in particular, how many were awarded to Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) leavers," he said.
Last month, MCA president Wee Ka Siong called on the government to establish a royal commission of inquiry to review the transparency of student admissions into public universities.
MCA president Wee Ka SiongOne of the issues he raised was the growing intake of international students at public universities, speculating that it could be because such students pay higher fees.
Shortly after, MCA vice-president Tan Teik Cheng called on Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir to publish detailed admissions data for public universities.
Tan warned that the intake of foreign students must not come at the expense of local students.
Upset parents
Commenting further, Ong stressed that education should remain fair and accessible, especially for families who cannot afford private institutions.
"When hard-working students achieve outstanding results, it’s only reasonable that they hope for a proportionate chance to continue their studies," he said.
He added that families understandably feel anxious and disappointed when their children, despite being high achievers, fail to secure a spot at a public university.
“Our public universities should serve the people, and placements ought to reflect both merit and equal opportunity,” Ong said. - Mkini

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