Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Wanita MCA: MOHE must ensure that students affected by USM’s technical blunder have equal opportunities for local public universities

Press Statement issued by Wanita MCA National Chairman Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun over USM’s online blunder in its first direct intake of undergraduates this year

Wanita MCA National Chairman YB Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun today expressed her concern with the statement made by Higher Education Department director-general Datuk Prof Radin Umar Radin Sohadi that “students who only applied for a place in USM but not to the University Admission Unit (UPU) would not have the opportunities to enrol in other universities”.

Mei Fun pointed out that, “students who fulfill the enrollment criteria for admission into other universities should be given an opportunity to further their studies in the universities concerned.” She added that USM’s online foul-up has created fear in students and has also denied the hard work and efforts put in by them in the past. “The blunder has no doubt hurt them physically and emotionally.”

“Higher Education Ministry cannot afford to resort back to the old ways in handling the issue. On the other hand, the Ministry concerned and USM should take into consideration the hurt and anguish that the affected students and families are going through,” Mei Fun pointed out.

She also said that Wanita MCA hopes that Higher Education Ministry and USM will put into consideration the student’s emotional well-being, the public’s confidence towards the Higher Education Ministry, the academic development in the country and also the reputation of the Higher Education Ministry overall.

Mei Fun reiterated that all students should receive equal treatment when being considered for admission into local universities under the meritocracy system. She also urged that, “the Higher Education Ministry must ensure that all students affected by the blunder will receive equal opportunities in the new admission list into public universities to be announced soon to prevent them from being denied the opportunities to further their studies in local universities.”

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