KUALA LUMPUR: About 5,400 students from B40 families who passed Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) have qualified for Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) next year.
Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said this number was 70 per cent of the 7,760 quota of places offered to students from this group in 54 MRSM colleges throughout the country.
She said this exceeded the original target of 65 per cent set by the ministry for students from this group.
She said 70 per cent of students from B40 families qualified for MRSM next year, 20 per cent from M40 families and 10 per cent from T20.
‘ We have released the results on Dec 21, earlier than usual, so that parents can make early preparations for the children’s schooling session.’
“We have released the results on Dec 21, earlier than usual, so that parents can make early preparations for the children’s schooling session,” she said in a press conference after launching a free hair-cut ‘Segak ke Sekolah’ programme at the People’s Housing Project (PPR) in Jalan Jelatek here yesterday.
The programme was simultaneously held in three other PPR areas in the parliamentary constituency, namely PPR Hiliran Ampang, PPR Laksamana and PPR Cochrane Perkasa which benefited 600 children.
Commenting on the MRSM intake, Rina who is also MP for Titiwangsa, said the students were selected based on their UPSR results, family income as well as several other criteria.
“Previously, the MRSM was said to be for the elite group. So our target was to have at least 65 per cent from the B40 group as a first step by the ministry,” she said.
“We will look at the situation from time to time, including at the opportunities for M40 students, parents who have many children, and others. If they feel they qualify, they can appeal,” she said.
However, she said, some exemptions are given to the results of rural students, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, to allow them to get more conducive study environment and obtain better results in the future.
The ministry had received 70,000 applications from students for MRSM colleges. – Bernama
