SAPP: Move to limit SPM exam subjects is absurd and regressive

KOTA KINABALU, May 25, 2009: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has urged the Government to seriously rethink its recent proposal to limit the number of subjects taken by students in the SPM examination in future.

In a statement issued here today, SAPP Treasurer-general cum Education Bureau Chief contended that such a move is absurd, regressive and detrimental to nation-building in the long run, especially in this highly-competitive era.

He was responding to the recent statement by the Deputy Prime Minister cum Education Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that the Government might limit the number of subjects taken students in the SPM examination in future for fairer Public Service Department (PSD) scholarship selection.

Muhyiddin said the idea was raised as students in fully residential schools were only allowed to take a maximum of nine subjects and those in rural areas too had to take fewer subjects due to a lack of facilities.

Under the SPM open certificate introduced in 2000, students have to take six core subjects – Bahasa Melayu, English, Islamic Education or Moral Studies, History, Mathematics and Science – and any other elective subjects as long as there is no clash in the timetable.

"It is ridiculous to limit number of subjects students may take just because the boarding school students can't take more than 9 subjects.

"Why restrict the bright students from getting 11As or more? Bright students should be recognized with scholarships not punished instead," argued Wong.

He pointed out that in today's highly-competitive globalization era, countries all over the world are scouting for capable people, a majority of who were bright students from college and universities.

He thus argued that the Government should at least allow if not encourage our students to fully demonstrate their capability and talents, instead of restricting them.

"It's rather sad and ashamed that our Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister could come up with such an absurd idea," he said.

Wong cautioned that if the Ministry of Education is adamant of proceeding with such a policy, it might further impact on our education system which is already appalling enough, besides causing our country to lose the much-needed competitive edge in this highly-competitive globalization era.

"We are absolutely disappointed with the Deputy Prime Minister cum Education Minister for making such a ridiculous proposal. He should realize the fact that the number of students who obtained 15As or 16 As is small and they should be appreciated and commended instead of being punished," he said.

Wong further contended that the proposed move is also against the Prime Minister's "1Malaysia" concept of giving an equal and fair opportunity to Malaysians of all races to partake and excel in whatever fields they chose to.

"This (the proposed move) again shows that the BN government is preaching one thing and doing another," he said.

He continued that the Government should instead increase the number of scholarships for the bright students, as a means to better resolve the PSD scholarship issue, besides ensuring a more transparent procedure in the awarding of the scholarship, so as to ensure that the scholarship only goes to those who truly deserve it.