MALAY STUDENTS TAKING HIGHER MALAY AT `A' LEVEL

Encik Harun bin A Ghani asked the Minister for Education how many Malay students are taking Malay as first language at `A' level and what steps are being taken to encourage them to do so.

Dr Ker Sin Tze (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, in the past three years, no school candidate has offered Malay as a first language (now known as Higher Malay) at 'A' level. Instead, about 200 Malay students each year take Malay language (formerly known as Malay as second language) at 'A' level. Pupils who passed Higher Malay at 'O' level are encouraged to continue studying Malay at a higher level beyond the minimum compulsory 'AO' level.

Encik Harun bin A. Ghani: Sir, suppose some of them offer to take Malay as a first language at 'A' level, will the Ministry allow them to do so?

Dr Ker Sin Tze: Yes, the Ministry will allow them to take as long as they meet the conditions. But judging from the statistics last year, the number is likely to be small. There was no school candidate in 1993. There were some private candidates, but the number was also very small. There were only three private candidates who took Higher Malay at 'A' level in 1993.