KUALA LUMPUR: Students planning to sit for Islamic studies, Tamil, Chinese, English and Iban languages should not be penalised by the 10-subject limit for the SPM examination beginning next year.
“The percentage of those affected by the scholarships was small at approximately 2.5%,” said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S.K. Devamany.
He said students must not be deprived of their right to sit for their mother tongue subjects and Islamic studies through extra papers.
“The limitation is due to allegations about the unfair distribution of PSD scholarships, said Devamany, who …

NILAI: The days of students taking up to 20 subjects in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination are over. Next year they will be allowed a maximum of only 10 subjects.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said this would put an end to the controversy surrounding Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships and the number of As that students obtained in the SPM examination.
He said the government had yet to determine the grading system to be used once the decision is implemented next year to define those eligible for PSD scholarships.
He …

PUTRAJAYA -Students sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination may not be allowed to take as many subjects as they like in future.
This is to put an end to claims on unfairness in the award of Public Service Department scholarships.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that, as things stood now, students in government schools had no limit on the number of subjects they could take, meaning that those from other schools, like fully residential ones, were “disadvantaged”.
This would be among several matters to be discussed at a special …

PETALING JAYA: Capping the number of subjects to be taken at Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) level is a good idea, said several academics.
National Parent-Teacher Associa tion Council president Assoc Prof Datuk Mohd Ali Hassan felt that allowing 12 subjects was fair.
“Our children need to grow and it is important that they enjoy their childhood and not spend all their time focusing on academic matters only,” he said.
There should also be a standard rule for all, Prof Mohd Ali said.
Prof Mohd Ali said cost was another factor as students who opt …

PETALING JAYA: Foreign universities are looking beyond a string of A’s in SPM as they prefer all-rounders who also excelled in extra-curricular activities.
British Council education director Peter Clack said some British universities were “put off” by the number of A’s which Malaysian students boasted about.
He welcomed the Government’s move to limit the number of subjects students could take in SPM.
“It is worrying to see that the academic side is seen as more important than the mental and emotional sides of education.
“Hence, parents put a lot of emphasis on the exam …

PETALING JAYA: The Public Service Department (PSD) has awarded scholarships to 323 Indian students this year.
MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said out of this, 171 were for foreign degree programmes while 152 were awarded to students pursuing courses at the five local universities recognised by the department.
The universities are the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST); Curtin University of Technology, Monash, Nottingham and Swinburne.
Subramaniam, who is also the Human Resources Minister, said 240 Indian students – many with top grades – had made their appeals to the …

PUTRAJAYA: The Public Service Department must implement what has been agreed upon by the Cabinet in the selection of scholarship recipients, MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.
He said 20% of the scholarships must be given to the top students and the PSD should not weigh other factors such as co-curriculum activities or family background.
“This is to honour the best students. Nothing else should come in the way,” he told reporters after a press conference on exports of fishery products from Malaysia to the European Union here yesterday.
Liow said …

By NG CHENG YEE from The Star Online
PUTRAJAYA: The Government will review the selection criteria for Public Services Department scholarships, said MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.
He said a meeting would be held among Barisan Nasional component party leaders, the PSD director-general and the Chief Secretary to the Government today.
They will discuss the matter and reconsider rejected cases.
“All four MCA ministers had met with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to discuss the cases highlighted to us regarding the selection of PSD scholarship recipients.
This is a problem: Ong …

KUCHING, May 10 (Bernama) — The Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) has proposed a comprehensive review of caning in schools to include caning for girl students.
Its president William Ghani Bina said it was unfair that boy students be subjected to caning while the girls only had to clean toilets and gather litter for committing the same offences.
“Caning can help arrest the deteriorating indiscipline among girl students as some of them acted like gangsters.
“However, the girls must only be caned on the palm and not other parts of the body. Caning must …