‘PROMOTE FORM SIX MORE ATTRACTIVELY’

Doing away with uniform a good start

AINA NASA

KUALA LUMPUR news@nst.com.my

THE Education Ministry should promote and advertise Form Six in a more attractive way to attract more students, said parent and education groups.

Sarana Ibu Bapa national coach Amir Sahudi, who is also president of a parent-teacher association here, said the programme lacked promotion.

He said students and parents saw Form Six as a second-class education that was an option only for those who failed to enter colleges or universities.

“There has to be strategic planning to see how the programme can be advertised in a positive light. Maybe through roadshows, seminars or inviting current students to give talks.”

The New Straits Times reported yesterday that the ministry was aiming to establish at least one Form Six college in each state by 2020.

Amir said this was an attainable goal, but it should be met with the suitable number of students or it would be for naught.

“Fewer students are interested in Form Six because of other possible pathways after SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia). Schools and colleges that offer Form Six programmes should promote it — conduct roadshows and encourage students to come — regardless of their potentially bad results.”

Amir said the ministry must take action to attract students to register for Form Six or else, one day, it would become irrelevant or be shut down.

Parent Action Group for Education (Page) chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) should be given priority, as it is globally recognised.

“Higher-learning institutions give priority to their own internally-examined non-standardised matriculation students, then to those with STPM. This is a disincentive.”

She said transformation of the programme by getting rid of uniform requirements was a good start to make Form Six more attractive.

“We should aspire to improve the programme instead of regressing for the sake of convenience and expediency. Form Six is the end results of our primary and secondary school systems.”