Criteria for Edusave Merit Award

Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Acting Minister for Education (Schools) (a) what is the number of students in 2015 who are eligible for the Edusave Merit Award but who did not qualify because they exceeded the income eligibility criteria; and (b) whether the Ministry can consider giving these certificates to the students to affirm their achievements for being in the top 25% of the cohort stream.

Mr Ng Chee Meng: In 2015, about 47,000 students who met the Edusave Merit Bursary (EMB)’s academic criterion, i.e., they were in the top 25% of their level and course in school, did not apply for the EMB, likely because their families exceeded its income criterion.

All students who are eligible to apply for the EMB based on its academic criterion are currently issued a Certificate of Academic Achievement to recognise them for their good performance, regardless of whether they meet the income criterion. They receive this certificate when they are informed of their eligibility to apply for the EMB. Furthermore, students who perform well in various academic and non-academic domains can also strive for other Edusave Awards, which have no income criterion, such as the Edusave Scholarship, Edusave Good Progress Award, Edusave Character Award, and Edusave Award for Achievement, Good Leadership and Service (EAGLES).