New Merit Calculation For IPTA Admission Next Year

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- Starting next year, a new system will be used to calculate the merit points for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2009 school-leavers and the exam's equivalent, for admission into public institutions of higher learning (IPTAs).

Higher Education Department director-general Datuk Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi said the change was in line with the Education Ministry's new A+ pass level for SPM 2009 leavers next year.

"The system is introduced to accept the best into the IPTAs and to distinguish the difference between A+, A and A-," he said at a news conference here Friday.

Using this new system, a student scoring A will be categorised as A+, A or A- with merit points of 18, 16 and 14 respectively, compared to the previous 1A and 2A.

He said grade 3B would be changed to B+ and have a value of 12 merit points, 4B changed to B (10), 5C to C+ (eight), 6C to C (six), 7D to D (four), 8E to E (two), and 9G to G with no merit points.

However, Radin Umar said the new method would also take into account the special entrance requirement to ensure that earlier students who obtained grade 6C (credit) were not moved to a lower grade.

"The processing, calculation of merit points, university entrance requirement, programme entrance requirement and candidate selection will be carried out in two ways, which are the current method for SPM 2008 leavers and those before that, and the latest method for SPM 2009 leavers.

"This way, chances of earlier SPM leavers to further their studies at the IPTAs are not affected."

He said the implementation of the new merit calculation method would be made known to students, teachers and parents during the Higher Education Carnival 2010 with the cooperation of the Education Ministry, from January to March next year in 10 selected zones nationwide.

"The ministry will also hold briefing roadshows for guidance counsellors and update information in the brochures and Education Ministry's website," he said.