“Students’ Intake Purely Based On Merit, NO Quota System Practised” Says Higher Education Ministry

The issue of IPTA  intake in Malaysia has always been a topic of debate. Is it based on a quota system or purely based on meritocracy?

Well, according to Higher Education director-general Prof Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak,  the student recruitment process for public higher learning institutions (IPTAs) is based on meritocracy and no quota system was practised.

According to The Star, he said that eligible candidates with the highest merit scores regardless of race, religion, state, the standard of living and background were given the opportunity to study at IPTAs.

“A total of 109,617 school-leavers who completed Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) last year were offered a spot in 17 public universities, Teachers’ Training Institutes (IPG), matriculation colleges, polytechnics, community colleges, Public Skills Training Institutes (ILKA) and University Teknologi Mara’s (UiTM) architecture degree for the 2020/2021 academic session.”

Due to the Movement Control Order, the deadline for the registration of new students is currently set for the 4th of January 2021. It also depends on the respective IPTAs.

Answering students’ pleas, he also added that there could be a possibility for their fees to be reduced. However, they also need to consider the IPTAs’ financial stability and the losses that are inevitable.

In terms of IPTS, it’s completely up to them to restructure their fees. “These institutes should consider the expectations of students and parents who want the fees lowered,” he said.

University students have been lamenting and creating petitions to reduce their fees as they haven’t been using the facilities for which they actually pay for.

But wait, there is some good news too as the ministry is in discussions with the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and telecommunications companies to provide devices and Internet access to tertiary students!

As it’s been announced that for university students, online learning will be conducted until the 31st of December, the government has been planning to provide data plans for the students. “If they have to pay for fees and at the same time pay for their own data plans to study online, it will cost them more,” he said.

Well, whether or not the intake is purely based on merit, we might never know. For now, we do know that students’ haven’t had the conducive environment to study throughout the MCO and hopefully the government finds more ways to help them.

 

Also read: Here’s How Uni Students Feel After Govt Said Studies Will Be Done ONLINE Till 31 December