One size fits all?

Whatever the model, it must be inclusive

THERE is great merit in arguing for meritocracy. Even in granting a place in universities. Provided, of course, everyone starts from the same starting block. Does everyone? Evidently not. Life doesn’t endow everyone with the same favours. Some get more, some get less. This is a universal phenomenon. And those who are endowed with less spend the rest of their lives trying to reach that equilibrium. Some succeed, some fail. Affirmative policies are designed to address anomalies such as these. Even an advanced country like the United States sees merit in such a policy. In a young nation such as Malaysia, there are at least 12.8 million reasons for it. For that is the number of people in the bottom 40 per cent income group.

This paper supports a single entrance exam for entry into universities, be it public or private. But this exam need not necessarily be the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM). But before policymakers make that decision, they must first get all the people to the same starting block. To change the rule in the middle of the race is not the right thing to do. A better way around the problem is to begin at the beginning: get everyone to be that single examable from school level. Education is a long-term investment; shortterm change in policies, especially mid-way, will bring more harm than it does good. As Professor Datuk Dr Noraini Idris told the

New Straits Times on Wednesday, changes in teaching and learning must begin to happen early. We agree. To not do this means excluding many from getting the education they deserve.

There is another issue at work here, too. What research has been done to come to the conclusion that STPM is the most meritorious qualification for entry into universities? In what ways are matriculation and foundation examinations less estimable, particularly if the latter two are designed for particular diplomas and degrees? The list of countries with such exams is long. Countries with multiple entry requirements make a long list, too. We must speak with well-researched facts. Because the devil is in the detail.

The good news is that such a research is in full swing now, according to Higher Education director-general Datin Paduka Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir. Expect results by 2020/2021. The study is looking at 17 countries for a model for Malaysia, including the United Kingdom, the US, Finland and Australia. Whatever the outcome of the study, we hope it turns out to be the best for the country. While we focus our attention on shaping a model for Malaysians, we must not forget foreign students who are fast making Malaysia an international hub for education. The efficacy of the model will depend on how best it accommodates the needs of international students. According to the Ministry of Education’s 2015 data, Malaysia had one of the highest ratio of international to local students in the world, with ours averaging at 1:10. Maintaining the ratio means coming out with a model that is foreign student-friendly as well.

This paper supports a single entrance exam for entry into universities, be it public or private. But this exam need not necessarily be the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia.