Scholarships

This time of year always brings news of deserving students (especially non-Bumis) failing to obtain scholarships to study overseas. It is a known fact that despite their smaller number, more Chinese students attain better results than their Malay and Indian counterparts. Therefore, based on merit, these students deserve to be given scholarships to study abroad.

Before going into the scholarship issue, why study abroad? I guess it is because most people have lost faith in the local tertiary education system. But is it justified? Is our education system so flawed? Or maybe the education is on par but the politics in education is the factor that drives people to seek overseas education?

My personal opinion is that, education at local universities only serves to teach the subject matter and not to prepare the students for the real world. The freedom to express their opinions is curtailed by acts of law. Universities have become a political tool instead of an arena for ideas and thoughts to develop. There are far too many restrictions.

Back to the issue of scholarships, how do we ensure equity in awarding scholarships? Do we base it on the number of “A”s? Or do we base it on financial standing? Or both? Or do we also factor in the sports and co-curricular activities?

Apparently there are 2,000 scholarships available annually to top scorers for overseas study. I’m not sure whether this includes pre-university studies or just for bachelor degrees. Let’s just say all the scholarships are for pre-university studies. Maybe a criterion should be set for those wanting to apply;

1. A minimum of 8 distinctions and includes English, Mathematics plus three or four subjects relevant to their undergraduate course of choice (e.g. Bio, Chem for those intending to do Medicine or Econs, Accounting for those desiring to pursue a Business/Finance related course or History, Literature for those wishing to study arts).
2. Household income of less than RM 4,000 per month, substantiated by documented proof such as income tax documents.
3. Participated in sports or co-curricular activities. Again must be substantiated by documented proof (a newspaper cutting showing the student winning a medal at the MSSM meet is also considered documented proof).

Each will be given a score, say for example 5 points for the 8 distinctions (even if the student has 16As, the score is still 5); 3, 4 and 5 points for household income of below RM4,000, 3,000 and 2,000 respectively; 3, 4 or 5 points for representing school, state or country in co-curricular or sports activities respectively.

A minimum of 11 points is required to qualify to apply.

The scholarship processing department will then rank all the applicants by the number of points obtained and the top 2,000 shall be awarded scholarships. Being scholarships, these students are upon graduation expected to serve the in the civil service for a number of years, say 5 or 7, failing which they will have to repay the total cost of their education in one lump sum. This is hoped to arrest the problem of brain drain.

Scholarship will also be given to pursue certain fields that are crucial to the nation or in areas where the country face shortages of skilled human resources. So, not everyone will get to study medicine.

If it so happens that 1,900 of the successful applicants are non-Bumis, then so be it. The Bumis will have to work harder to get the scholarship. That is what meritocracy is all about; giving what is due to the most deserving. We have no rights to anything unless we earn it.

So, what about those who just failed to make it? Those with, say 11 or 12 points. There must be a back-up programme for them. An interest free loan perhaps? Twinning programme? That’s another topic for another day.