Despite uproar over the ruling against the use of SPM forecast result for pre university programmes enrolment at private colleges, Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh has said that there will be no review as the ruling has been around for years.
However, his explanation is unsatisfactory as he cannot just rely on the excuse that the ruling has been around for years.
Why has he not responded to the argument that the use of forecast results has been in practice for years and has been most welcomed by students and parents?
Surely the Education Ministry cannot claim ignorance of such practice eby private colleges as the acceptance of forecast results is widely advertised in brochures and website of private colleges.
Idris must explain what is the Ministry’s rationale for the sudden enforcement of the ruling which in fact ought to be repealed.
He also said the ruling was put in place to ensure “best practice” by the nation’s education industry in maintaining recognised global standard set by MQA.
Is Idris not aware that the forecast results are only accepted for conditional offers only and students who fail to meet the minimum requirements in their actual results will have the offers withdrawn?
So how could this affect the desired best practice?
The Ministry’s ruling will mean that students can no longer begin their pre university programmes in January and will have to take up the compressed programmes which begin after SPM actual results are released , if they do not wish to wait for another year.
While the average students will find it more stressful to follow the compressed programmes, even the bright ones may even lose the chance to do even better due to the shorter duration of study.
The basic question that the Second Education Minister must answer is why the sudden enforcement when the practice has not been an issue or created any problem?
Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin has said before that improving the education system and raising it world-class standard is the Malaysian government’s top priority.
Let me remind the government that we cannot achieve the objective of making our education world class standard if we don’t have world class education minister, officials, policies and rulings.
Outdated or unsuitable ruling banning the use of SPM forecast result must be reviewed or repealed.