SPM Grading Controversy Ends as Ministry Accepts A- for Matriculation

By Xie Yuxin

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — The Malaysian Ministry of Education recently withdrew a controversial policy. The original policy stated that only students who got 10 A+ or A grades in 2024 SPM exams would automatically get into the Matrikulasi programme, while A− grades didn’t count.

Figure: Facebook post by MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong showing public reaction to the matriculation policy reversal.

Source: The Rakyat Post (June 30, 2025), “A- Grades Now Count As A for Matriculation Entry, Malaysian Chinese Thank MCA”.

The policy was quietly issued through an internal memo on 30 April, after all SPM exams had already finished, without any proper public announcement beforehand. Before that, A− grades were generally counted as good enough for Matrikulasi. As a result, when students and parents started receiving rejection letters, many of them were shocked and only found out about the new regulation through social media. The abruptness of the change, with no prior warning, made a lot of people feel like the system wasn’t being fair or transparent. The timing, inadequate communication, and how A− was suddenly treated as not good enough sparked a lot of frustration. The announcement was not made through an official press release, and many families were unaware of the change until after applications had been processed.

According to a report by The Star on 25 June, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek clarified that the Ministry of Education never intended to devalue the A− grade. She announced that all students who achieved 10 A grades (including A−) would now be eligible to enter the Matrikulasi programme.

“We never said A− is not excellent,” She told reporters, adding that the revised policy applies to all ethnic groups and will not affect the existing quota system.(The Star, June 25, 2025)

According to The Rakyat Post, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, the president of the Malaysian Chinese Association, stated that this decision was made in response to the appeals of over 260 families whose children were rejected due to A- grades. He emphasized that academic merit should be main criterion and high-achieving students should not be penalised over technical grading distinctions.

This change has drawn widespread attention from students, parents and educational advocacy groups. Many people have criticized the sudden change of the policy for putting unnecessary pressure on students, especially for those who originally thought their grades were good enough to meet the admission requirements. As early as mid-May, Senator C. Sivaraj also expressed concerns, saying that excluding A− grades might dampen students' enthusiasm and erode public trust in the education system.

“The rigid policy ignores real-world disparities in educational access,” he was quoted as saying in Free Malaysia Today.

Although the policies have returned to their original state, education observers have pointed out that future policies need to be more transparent, stable and forward-looking to avoid causing additional psychological pressure on students. According to the current arrangement, students who meet the 10A criteria (including A−) will have the opportunity to be admitted through Matrikulasi. Students are urged to learn about the latest application situation through the official UPU system or by contacting the preparatory courses department of the universities. 

As of the time of writing, the Ministry of Education has not confirmed whether further changes to the SPM policy will be made for 2025 or beyond.