White paper needed to make STPM more valuable, says Segamat MP

Segamat Mp Edmund Santhara says a government white paper can look at all the reasons students avoid sitting for STPM.

KUALA LUMPUR: A white paper needs to be issued on the two-year Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) exam to prevent it from losing its appeal to students, said Edmund Santhara (PH-Segamat).

He said the education ministry needs to set a direction as more students may avoid the Form Six exam which is perceived as being more difficult than matriculation and other education routes.

“The education ministry needs to look at ways to add value to STPM, for instance turn it into a high school diploma paper, so that the two years in Form Six are not seen as wasted.

“Those who do not want to pursue tertiary education can then at least use this diploma to look for jobs,” he told the Dewan Rakyat.

Santhara said this high school diploma can be divided into the arts and science streams.

He said the white paper could look at all the reasons students avoid sitting for STPM.

For instance, in Segamat, he said the infrastructure at public schools is the same, from Form 1 to Form 6.

“There think the matriculation programme may look more prestigious than STPM. It looks more like pre-university classes,” he said, adding that there is a perception that matriculation is shorter and easier than STPM.

Santhara said it should not come to a level where only students in rural areas sit for STPM due to a lack of choice.

Sivakumar Naidu (PH-Batu Gajah) suggested doing away with the two systems of having matriculation and STPM.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia professor Teo Kok Seong had previously said STPM is tougher and harder to score in.

“Matriculation is shorter and easier than STPM. It is easier to score in matriculation.” - FMT