THE matriculation programme’s quota system has been a point of contention in Malaysia for some time, and the conversation was reignited when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently announced that all students who achieve 10As and above in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam will be guaranteed a spot in matriculation colleges, irrespective of their race or background.
This decision should be applauded as it would increase the allocation for non-bumiputra students and is a significant move towards creating a more inclusive and merit-based education system in Malaysia. However, this decision may also present several challenges.