THE government has to continue its role in ensuring that all students who excel can get a place in institutions of higher learning, parents and educationists said.

They said the Education Ministry must look into a more inclusive approach where deserving students are given a place to pursue their education.

Ikram economic prosperity cluster and public policy consultant head Mohammad Abdul Hamid said the focus should be on inclusive education where implementation is key.

“The discussion should be on providing education for all, with focus on addressing poverty and income inequality.

“There is also a need to look at budget allocation given the tight fiscal space the government is in.

“Therefore, the discourse is not necessarily race-based versus needs-based,” he said.

Mohamad was referring to Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s recent proposal to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to migrate from a race-based education system to one that is needs-based.

Syed Saddiq said there have been many cases of straight-A students who failed to secure a place in public matriculation programmes, but had found places in top global universities on their own.

Mohammad also said that there was a need to look into unemployment of fresh graduates.

“Fresh graduate mismatch (under-employment) is an ongoing concern due to structural issues in the economy, so there is a need to look and address the issue holistically,” he said.

He said there were several options for the government to support these students, adding that grants and financial aid for deserving students should not purely be coming from the government alone.

Parent Action Group for Education head Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said deserving students should be given places if the government thinks they have the potential to contribute.

“The country will benefit at the end of the day. The same criterion will apply to private firms and government linked companies (GLC) who are willing to sponsor deserving students.

“The government can also help deserving students depending on the availability of funds. Hence companies and GLCs can play their part to select deserving students and bond them for employment,” she said.

Azimah however doesn’t believe that there will be a brain drain if the students were not offered places at public institutions.

“It doesn’t mean that students who go overseas will not come back. Many students do come back after studying overseas.

“We can’t just pinpoint brain drain to not having local university placements.”

Overseas offers

Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education chairman Mak Chee Kin meanwhile said the government could look into offering places to all SPM straight-A students and STPM students in the courses and universities that they want.

“They should get places irrespective of their economic status, as long as they are straight-A students.

“We can’t deny rich kids a place in public universities just because their families are rich.

“Though their family can afford private institutions of learning, some may prefer public universities. We can’t punish them just because their families are rich.”

He also said that there were many cases of top students who did not get what they deserved locally but are being pursued by foreign institutions.

“Look at the four students who were recently offered places in the National University of Singapore almost immediately, with one obtaining an Asean Scholarship and the rest with interest free study loans.

“These students with such foreign offers will not return home. There is obviously a brain drain and if nothing is done, more will go,” he warned.

Mak also said getting placements was neither based on need nor merit but more on what politicians think ought to be the policy.

“Leaders need to have the political will to change to what is good and progressive but sadly many policies are populist in nature. These policies are put in place for their political survival rather than for the good of the country,” he said. –  August 21, 2023.