Is A In Spm Now A B Or C Asks Wee

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MCA president Wee Ka Siong has raised questions over grading in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination and wants to know how this will affect matriculation applications.
Wee, in a video posted on Facebook, asked if an A- in the SPM examination is not considered an A, whether it is then a B or C.
He also asked if the Education Ministry’s decision not to classify A- grades in SPM as A will affect matriculation applications, considering the earlier announcement that those with 10As will be guaranteed a spot in the programme.
He said the ministry’s move has unfair impacts depending on the year a student has taken the SPM.
“Let’s say there are two siblings: one took the SPM in 2023 and the other sat for the SPM in 2024. Both the older sister and younger brother receive the same results, nine A+ and one A- in the SPM, and the only difference is the years.
“The older sister receives an automatic offer (for matriculation), but the younger brother does not get in automatically.
“Is this fair to the younger brother who received the same results... with the same expectation as his older sister?” he asked.
Rejection complaints
Wee’s query comes on the heels of MIC deputy president M Saravanan writing a formal letter to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek last Friday (May 23) seeking a detailed breakdown of the number of Indian students who applied for and were offered places in this year’s matriculation programme.
MIC deputy president M SaravananAccording to a source, this request could serve as the first major “litmus test” for PKR deputy president hopeful Nurul Izzah Anwar, who has publicly committed to championing the rights of the Indian Malaysian community.
Saravanan’s letter was in response to MIC receiving numerous complaints from Indian students about their matriculation applications being rejected.
ADSMalaysiakini has learned that Fadhlina has yet to respond to the letter.
‘Shifting goal post’
Speaking further on the issue, Wee questioned if the cabinet had approved the decision to remove the A- grade from the A classification.
“As far as I know, there is not a single country that differentiates or separates A+ and A from A- based on different circumstances, whether in the A classification or not.
“Where is the dignity of the Malaysian Examination Board? If the requirement is 10As, then grades A+, A, and A- should be considered under the category of grade A.
“This is common sense and has long been recognised and accepted worldwide,” he asserted.
He condemned the government for its lack of consistency, calling the move an example of “shifting the goal post”.
“Is this policy ad hoc for the year 2025, specifically in the context of matriculation intake only, or will it be applied consistently across all areas?
“What about next year? What about Public Service Department scholarship applications?” he asked.
Earlier this month, MCA’s education consultative committee deputy chairperson Felicia Wong pointed out that the redefinition was only announced after SPM results were released.
She said that such sudden changes also raise fears of future policy instability and that students shouldn’t have to gamble their futures on uncertain standards. - FMT

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