KUALA LUMPUR: There is no need to abolish Form Six and the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

She said that Form Six, including the STPM examination, offered by the Ministry of Education (MOE), is governed by the Education Act 1996 and is assured of its existence and continuation.

"The purpose of its existence is to ensure that upper secondary level students obtain a quality education, comparable to international standards. The STPM standard is recognised by Cambridge Assessment International Education.

"All public universities in the country recognise this academic qualification, and more than 2,000 universities globally recognise the STPM certificate, so that Form Six (STPM) certificate holders can further their studies anywhere in the country and abroad, including in the United States, the Commonwealth countries as well as the Middle East," she said.

She said this when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address, in the Dewan Negara today.

Earlier in the debate session on the motion of thank for the royal address, Senator Datuk Dr Dominic Lau Hoe Chai proposed that the government abolish STPM, and replace it with the matriculation programme.

Fadhlina added that Form Six education has its own goals and objectives, compared with the Malaysian matriculation and bachelor in teaching programmes.

"Form Six aims to give the widest possible access to secondary school students, through 643 centres of various learning modes nationwide.

"In fact, the MOE will also expand the Form Six college in Pahang, which is at Astana College, Kuantan, and another one in Sri Lipis, in addition to the construction of the Form Six college in Kelantan which has passed the construction allocation in the 12th Malaysia Plan," she said.

-- BERNAMA