U-turn on scholarship award
> Requirement for students to have minimum of SPM 9A+ stays, says Wee
PETALING JAYA: The Public Service Department (PSD) has reverted to its previous criterion in awarding scholarships to top students in last year’s SPM examination, following protests from parents over the abrupt change, said Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong ( pix) yesterday.
The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said he was glad the PSD took prompt action to address the dissatisfaction over the issue.
He said this means that students who had scored a minimum of 9A+ would be eligible to apply for the scholarships.
Earlier, the PSD had said only those who scored all A+ in last year’s examination would be eligible.
“This controversial issue was brought to my attention a few days ago and immediately after that, I raised the issue to the Chief Secretary Tan Sri Ali Hamsa and PSD Director-General Datuk Seri Zainal Rahim Seman and both of them had agreed to look into the matter.
“True enough and thankfully, this issue was able to be resolved promptly and efficiently.”
Wee also expressed gratitude to both civil servants on Twitter, thanking them for their swift action.
“Terima kasih KSN TS @ AliHamsa & KPPA mengambil tindakan segera membetulkan kelayakan memohon Bursary. Kelayakan spt dulu SPM 9A+ @ ke atas (Thank you KSN TS @ AliHamsa & KPPA for taking immediate action in amending the bursary legibility. Eligibility was as before at least 9A+),” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, Zainal said in a statement all students who scored at least 9A+ are eligible to apply for the bursary programme.
He had said details would be published in the PSD website.
The Chinese press had, since the release of the results, been highlighting how the PSD’s stringent condition had dashed the hopes of many SPM top scorers to study in elite universities overseas or local higher institutions under its sponsorship this year.
According to figures released by the Education Ministry last week, of the 434,535 candidates who sat for the SPM examination last year, 8,647 obtained all As (A+, A and A-).
However, out of the 8,647 all As achievers, only 102 scored A+ in all subjects.
Had PSD stuck to its stringent condition, that would mean only 102 would have qualified for the sponsorship under the new scholarship programme this year.
That would also have been a big drop compared to last year, when a total of 744 students who obtained a minimum of 9A+ were awarded PSD scholarships under the Graduate Bursary Programme.