Initiative to reduce feeling of dissatisfaction among students: Ngieng

SIBU: Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) deputy chairman Daniel Ngieng yesterday felt that the system of awarding the Public Service Department (JPA) scholarship should be made more transparent.

He said this was imperative to reduce a feeling of uneasiness and dissatisfaction among many outstanding students and their parents.

He made the statement at a press conference called in his personal capacity at his office here yesterday.

While acknowledging that the people should be grateful to the government for providing the JPA scholarship to outstanding students, he, however, expressed concern about the teething and perpetual problems regarding the award of the scholarships.

“It seems that the number of applicants is aplenty but the number of scholarship is few. According to one report today (yesterday), there were some 15,000 students applying this year and only about half of them were called for interview. But the number of scholarship is about 2,000 in total.

“As such, many (bright) students and their families would be in a state of great anxiety during this period. They tried to look for assistance from all possible quarters,” he said. Therefore, Ngieng said in all circumstances those who successfully got the JPA scholarship would liken it to ‘striking a lottery’.

“This is understandable as many of them wish to get JPA scholarship to enable them to do medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and engineering and the likes in some so-called prestigious countries like UK, Australia and New Zealand.

“And these professional courses overseas are very costly and beyond the reach of many parents,” he added.

In calling for more transparency in the award of JPA scholarship, Ngieng said: “At this stage, the public, especially the students and parents, is not aware of the actual criteria.

“We are not informed of the actual yardstick used in the system. Is it based on the academic results? What is the emphasis given to co-curricular activities of the applicants? What about the socio-economic background of the students and parents? Their family income?

“In short, the merit system must be made more transparent so that the students and parents are fully aware of their position.

At the moment, he said there were a lot of unnecessary anxiety among the students and the parents, adding that some straight A students were wondering why they were being ‘victimised’

Ngieng said many students had approached him and other SUPP leaders here for help “but we are also not aware of the outcome.”

“SUPP, through its Youth Education unit is doing its level best. But many a time, we feel that there are underlining problems which need to be addressed first,” he added.

On another subject, Ngieng suggested that the government come up with a common entrance examination for all students who wish to enter local universities instead of depending on the STPM and matriculation results like now.

“This is because STPM and matriculation have different standards. By comparing with matriculation, it is so much more difficult for STPM students to excel (in STPM examination) academically, thus giving them a disadvantage over matriculation students.

“Thus, I wish to appeal to the ministry concerned to streamline this dichotomy by having only one entrance examination for all students in our local university,” Ngieng said.

He said he called for the press conference after receiving many queries and complains from students and parents on matters related to JPA scholarship and entry into universities.