This follows the recent controversy after the PSD had initially stated that students must obtain A+ in all the subjects taken in the SPM examination in order to qualify for a government scholarship.
Following the hue and cry from the public, the PSD reverted to its original policy that students need to have a minimum of 9A+.
“PSD offers three scholarship programmes for SPM students. They are National Sponsorship Programme (PPN), 9A+ Sponsorship Programme (P9A+) and the special programme for students to be considered for study in countries like Japan, Korea, France and Germany (JKPJ)
“While the PSD is clear on the academic requirements, it is altogether not sure as how students are apportioned into these scholarship programmes,” DAP deputy secretary-general P Ramasamy said in a statement today.
Referring to the PSD calling the three scholarship programmes offered as the new PSD Sponsorship Model 2017, Ramasamy said there is some confusion over the selection process.
“Based on this new model, PSD will select students for the scholarship programmes on the basis of merit and ‘inclusiveness’. While the criteria on merit needs no explanation, we are not sure what is meant by ‘inclusiveness’.
“It is feared that by including the ‘inclusiveness’ criteria, PSD might unwittingly introduce subjective elements,” he said, adding that any subjective criteria could lead to arbitrariness on the part of PSD in the selection of students for government scholarships.
Ramasamy, who is also Penang deputy chief minister, called for the PSD to re-examine its criteria and try to place more emphasis on merit, especially when it comes to young students who had just left school.