Students with grievances should use appeal channels, says uni boss

Genuine grievances should not be turned into polarising debates that undermine public confidence in the country’s institutions, says the founder of a distance learning university.

University entrance policies have been in the public eye since an STPM student questioned why he had gained a place at Universiti Malaya despite achieving 4As.

PETALING JAYA:

 University students should address their concerns over admissions policies through the established appeal channels, rather than allowing individual cases to become politicised, says Ansary Ahmed, the head of a distance learning university.

Genuine grievances should not be turned into polarising debates that undermine public confidence in the country’s institutions, said Ansary, who is group managing director of Asia e Learning, which owns Asia e-University.

He said Malaysia’s university entrance systems, encompassing matriculation, STPM, and Unit Pusat Universiti, had consistently balanced academic merit, diversity of pathways, and opportunities for students from all walks of life”.

He said there should not be attempts to dismantle “a system that works,” which should be allowed to evolve in line with global best practices and local aspirations.

University admission policies have been in the public eye after an STPM student, Edward Wong, failed to secure admission into Universiti Malaya despite achieving a perfect 4.0 CGPA score.

Earlier today, higher education minister Zambry Abd Kadir urged the public not to issue any more statements on the matter, to avoid further complicating the situation. - FMT