PUTRAJAYA: Starting next year, the Education Ministry is giving priority to applicants from the bottom 40 (B40) income earners to gain access to quality education at the fully residential schools (SBP).
More opportunities will be given to the children of underprivileged group either from the rural areas, or the urban poor and even to the children of those in the uniformed services, said the ministry in a statement today.
The B40 are those with a mean household income of RM2,848, based on the Report of Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey 2016.
“In this respect, the 2019 intake will be given priority to the B40 children with an estimation up to 60 per cent of the overall placement.
“However, the offer (for pupils) to (enrol in) Form 1 will take into account several factors including the fully residential school that is applied for; the SBP enrolment capacity, gender and applicant’s locality,” it said.
The ministry added it had received 77,487 applications for the SBP 2019 intake, out of which 21,841 had been identified to have met the basic conditions.
The basic requirement include being a Malaysian; securing the minimum achievement in the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah examination; having sat and achieved at least 65 per cent of tolerancy level in the Ujian Kemasukan Sekolah Berasrama Penuh test and scoring merit in physical activity, sports and co-curriculum as well as in psychometric.
“The ministry is committed to ensure the children of B40 group will be given the maximum opportunity to get better education in a conducive environment as what is capable by the SBP,” it said, adding the move was in line with the new government’s policy to help the underprivileged groups.