The Ministry of Education (MOE) today announced a significant policy shift for the Matriculation Programme, guaranteeing a place for all Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2024 candidates who achieved 10As or higher, including those with A- grades. This guarantee applies irrespective of the student’s racial background.
The decision, which was confirmed by the Cabinet following a meeting where all ministers unanimously agreed on the proposal, aligns with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s earlier commitment. The Prime Minister had previously emphasized the importance of ensuring all high-achieving students have equitable opportunities for further studies.
In a statement, the MOE clarified that while this new guarantee ensures automatic entry for top scorers, the existing Bumiputera quota for the Matriculation Programme will remain intact and unaffected. This means that the addition of these merit-based admissions will not reduce the allocated slots for Bumiputera students.
The Matriculation Programme serves as a pre-university pathway, primarily for Bumiputera students, to qualify for undergraduate studies, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, at local and international institutions. Historically, the programme has operated with a 90% quota for Bumiputera students and 10% for non-Bumiputera students. The Prime Minister’s previous announcement on June 30, 2024, to guarantee spots for 10A and above scorers was seen as a move towards greater meritocracy, while the latest clarification confirms the inclusion of A- grades in this guaranteed entry.
