STPM Remains Competitive, Inclusive Pathway To Higher Education

KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 (Bernama) -- The Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) remains a relevant, competitive and inclusive pathway to higher education, with students from diverse backgrounds proving their ability to achieve academic excellence and pursue university studies.

An Orang Asli student from Kampung Paya Mendoi, Kuala Krau, Pahang, Hazaril Hakimi Hassan, who obtained a perfect 4.00 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in the 2025 STPM examination, said his success came after understanding the Form Six route advantages, which previously received less attention.

“Once I understood the advantages of Form Six and received support from my teachers and family, I became more confident in choosing this pathway,” he said after receiving an excellence award from the Malaysian Examinations Council (MPM) at the council’s headquarters here today.

The SMK Temerloh student hopes to pursue a degree in Malay Language Education at Universiti Putra Malaysia and aspires to become a lecturer in the future.

A student from SMK Tsung Wah in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Ng Yu Yong, who also achieved a 4.00 CGPA, described STPM as a pathway that enhances academic competitiveness, while being internationally recognised and providing opportunities to further studies at leading universities abroad.

“Form Six is better choice if you have financial problems. It’s much cheaper. And if you really target excellence, you should choose Form Six because it is more competitive. I encourage other juniors to enter Form Six. It will enhance yourself and your ability,” he said.

Aiming to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree at Universiti Malaya, Ng who obtained 5As including in Physics and Biology, said he had set his sights on academic excellence since entering Form Six as he viewed STPM as the best platform to achieve his ambition in the medical field.

Meanwhile, a visually impaired student, Yeoh Chwen Yih, who also obtained a 4.00 CGPA, said STPM provides a more inclusive learning environment through screen-reading technology that facilitates the daily learning process.

The St John's Institution student said the software enables learning materials to be accessed more quickly than through Braille, thereby improving learning effectiveness.

“For visually impaired students, the available options are quite limited, and I found that Form Six provides a more inclusive learning environment,” said Yeoh, who aspires to pursue studies in law and viewed STPM as a suitable pathway to achieve that ambition.

-- BERNAMA