Merit v manpower needs

By Terence Fernandes, the Sun

DEPUTY Education Minister Datuk Wee Ka Siong has been on the receiving end of brickbats on "Twitterjaya". Unlike his minister, Wee is an active member of the social media network and has been fighting a losing battle trying to convince some of his 5,500-plus followers and others that all is above board in the awarding of Public Service Department scholarships to top SPM scorers.

Wee took pains to explain that full PSD scholarships would be given to straight A+ students – not merely straight A’s. However, he also put himself out there by stating that 363 straight A+ scorers had failed to secure scholarships, taking the PSD to task for denying Malaysia’s crème de la crème the opportunities they deserve.

The government promised last year that all students who scored eight 8A+ and more in the 2010 SPM will get a PSD scholarship. The problem is, it did not specify what courses they will be offered, hence there are bound to be disgruntled students who did not get their chosen field of study despite doing their part – studying hard and acing their exams.

Hence, there is this perception that every year, there are more than a few who slip through the cracks. One example is Selwyn Jong of Kuching who scored 9A+ but instead of a university placement, was given matriculation – a place he could have secured with 5As. Another example is P. Kugnethran from Selangor who scored 12A+. Instead of getting the medical course he so wanted, Kugnethran was offered a diploma in animal husbandry from Universiti Putra Malaysia while those with less than stellar results won choice courses at top varsities abroad.

Selwyn and Kugnethran approached the MCA and MIC respectively to intercede for them and get them the courses they feel they deserve. It is learnt that Selwyn’s case is pending while Kugnethran has managed to secure a spot to do medicine.

While one lauds those who helped this youth to fulfil his dream, such episodes are repeated every year. The announcement of the SPM results is followed by dissatisfaction over the awarding of PSD scholarships. Accusations of biasness make its rounds at this time every year.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz explained the awarding of PSD scholarships this way: There are two primary categories – the overseas degree programme (PILN) for 1,500 selected students and the local degree programme (PIDN) for 2,500 students. From the 4,000 PILN and PIDN scholarships awarded, 2,183 spots (55%) were allocated for bumiputras and 1,817 (45%) for non-bumiputras.

He was reported as saying that only 8,857 from the 16,900 students who applied for PILN scholarships met the PSD requirements, with 7,277 (43.1%) of them being bumiputras and 9,623 (56.9%) non-bumiputras. Only 1,500 PILN scholarships were offered and 300 were given on merit. "Unsuccessful applicants have the PIDN option which offers 2,500 spots," he said. Should they fail both, students will still be eligible for the 8,000 scholarships at matriculation or diploma levels.

Question is, what exactly are the PSD scholarships criteria? They cover extra curricular activities and aptitude tests including an interview – where it is learnt non-bumiputra students often do not do as well.

While one agrees that limited seats would mean not everyone will get what they ask for, PSD director-general Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Abdullah’s explanation that scholarships are offered based on "manpower needs" leaves much to the imagination. It also illustrates that each official – minister and public servant alike – has his or her own reasons and interpretation about what constitutes an eligible PSD applicant.

If manpower needs is the criteria, it does not explain why there are top scorers who do not get the best courses and underperformers who do. Granted, an all-rounder who scores 6A+ may be more eligible than a kaki bangku who scored full marks; but is it right to penalise a child who’s only calling is the classroom and not the football field as well? And does 8A+ by a son of a tapper in a rural estate have more value than 12A+ by a son of a doctor in the big city? Is it therefore acceptable that there are limited spaces for PSD scholarships – to the tune of only 4,000 spots when there are double that number who qualify?

If we check the leakages in public procurement, could we not have enough to ensure all our top scorers have a shot at being the best that they can possibly be? Is it illogical to expect your government to ensure that everyone has a chance? After all, what message are we sending to our youth when we say: "Study hard and you’ll get a place in university to study whatever you want"?

In Brunei, the cream of the crop are sponsored for overseas studies while the rest are given spots in local varsities. OK, so this may not be the best example, but one gets the drift.

Every year, we lose top students to Singapore which uses the carrot of the prestigous Asean Scholarships to attract the best brains of other countries. Due to the additional incentive of secured jobs and attachments in the public and private sectors, many Asean scholars continue to live in and contribute to Singapore’s growth. The fact that there are 600,000 Malaysians (of course not all of them are Asean scholars) living in and contributing to the island republic’s growth is an indication that we have not been doing enough to keep our best at home.

As the bar for excellence is raised and the government is spending time, effort and money to stop the brain drain, it is unfathomable how some policies contradict these efforts. It seems that some people are not talking to each other, leaving a confused state of affairs for our children.