Training on Form Six admission process vital for principals given autonomy - Expert

KUALA LUMPUR - The new intake of sixth formers on July 17 constitutes the last batch to be overseen by the Ministry of Education (MOE) as school and Form Six college principals have been given autonomy to conduct the student admission process.

This means the principals have the authority to select the students who they think are qualified to enter Form Six. In previous years, SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) school leavers wishing to enter Form Six have to wait for an offer letter from MOE.

While many people lauded the ministry’s move to rebrand as well as upgrade Form Six to pre-university status, some education experts feel the principals involved should be provided optimum exposure to the best practices in the student admission process.

They said this is to ensure the process concerned not only runs smoothly but is also a balanced, fair and inclusive one. It will also enable the principals to identify students with real potential before offering them a place in Form Six.

Commenting on this, Universiti Putra Malaysia deputy vice-chancellor (Academic and International) Prof Dr Ismi Arif Ismail said principals must be given enough exposure and training on their new responsibility before next year’s intake of sixth formers begins.

"In line with efforts to revamp the management of Form Six classes to pre-university level, the time is ripe indeed for the principals to be given autonomy to select the students.

"However, they must first be exposed to the process of recruiting students and given training because all these years, MOE was handling this,” he told Bernama.

On July 23, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced the ministry has granted autonomy to school and Form Six college principals to conduct the student recruitment process for the sixth form with immediate effect.

She said this move will allow the principals to make direct offers to potential students who need the opportunity to continue their studies without having to wait for an offer from the ministry.

Three days ago, Education director-general Datuk Pkharuddin Ghazali said the guidelines for the admission of Form Six students by school principals are expected to be ready by early next month.

Ismi Arif said in order to provide adequate training to principals and equip them with knowledge of the student admission system, they can collaborate with the managements of MOE’s matriculation programmes as well as foundation programmes at institutions of higher learning.

He added that granting principals autonomy will also allow them to offer subjects in accordance with the selected students’ interests, qualifications and ambitions.

Deputy dean of Research, Innovation and Community-Industry Engagement in the School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Associate Prof Dr Aziah Ismail supported the autonomy move, saying that previously SPM school leavers found it difficult to get clear information on the subjects they should take in Form Six that will enable them to pursue higher studies in a field they are interested in.

"Now that school and Form Six college principals and their teams have the mandate (to admit students into Form Six), it will decentralise the student recruitment process previously managed by MOE.

"When their principals take over, it will make it easier for the students to get more information on their sixth-form studies,” she said.

Aziah, who was among those that recommended the establishment of Form Six colleges, said the conditions for admission into the sixth form must meet a standard criteria to improve the quality of Form Six education in line with the rebranding efforts.

Only qualified SPM school leavers should be offered a place in Form Six while the less qualified ones should be admitted to other educational institutions including vocational colleges, she added.

On some parents’ concern that the principals may abuse their autonomy, Aziah said the guidelines now being prepared by MOE will address the issue of transparency in the intake of Form Six students.

Efforts to rebrand the sixth form started more than 10 years ago in 2012 when the new STPM (Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia) assessment system was implemented. In 2014, MOE gave permission to Form Six students to dress casually to school but with several conditions attached.

And, on July 12 this year, MOE said it is rebranding Form Six colleges and naming them MOE Pre-University College.

The rebranding exercise is aimed at getting more SPM school leavers to continue their studies in Form Six as well as expose them to the university learning environment.

National Parent-Teacher Association Consultative Council president Associate Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Ali Hasan, meanwhile, said granting autonomy to principals will help to address the issue of students who don’t continue with their studies after completing SPM due to poverty or other issues.

"Hopefully, the principals will seek initiatives or solutions to help students from poor families who qualify for admission into Form Six,” he said.

UPM’s Ismi Arif concurred, saying that with the autonomy given to the principles, they can identify students who are interested in studying in Form Six or those who don’t have the financial means to pursue higher studies.

"The identification process can be done before the SPM exam or after the results have been announced,” he said. - BERNAMA