KUALA LUMPUR: The Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of students at institutions of higher learning (IPT) will no longer be based solely on academic achievement as it will include their involvement in co-curricular activities, as well.
Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said this would be implemented under the 2015-2025 Malaysian Education Blueprint - Higher Education (PPPM-PT) which would see the ministry’s intention to implement the integrated CGPA.
Through the initiative, CGPA will no longer be based on academic achievement alone and it will take into consideration, involvement in co-curricular, community and voluntary, skill and leadership activities.
“Presently, students who obtain all As in academic performance will obtain a CGPA of 4.00 or four flat but under the integrated CGPA, the student needs to be excellent on the overall to obtain four flat,” he told reporters after a briefing on PPPM-PT recently.
He said the new CGPA would be implemented in the first shift of the PPPM-PT to produce enterprising, holistic and balanced graduates.
Discussions on the matter, he said, were being carried out at public universities and it might take some time before the new CGPA was implemented.
A PPPM-PT briefing for senior editors of the electronic and print media was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also education minister.
The briefing was held in view of its launch scheduled on April 7, by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Idris said the new plan would also continue to empower technical, vocational, education and training (TVET) as a premier choice.
He said the initiative on TVET programme was to provide diversity in education through vocational colleges, polytechnics and community colleges, as well as the four technical universities in the country.
“The objective of making TVET as a choice began during the launch of the transformation of vocational education in 2012, and it will continue to be enhanced as the community starts to accept TVET.
“TVET is seen as viable alternative to produce good graduates with certificate or diploma qualifications and obtain high paying jobs,” he said.
He said TVET and co-curricular activities based on industry needs would make programme graduates more sought after by the industries.
PPPM-PT is a continuation of the School Sector PPPM and the National Higher Education Strategic Plan (PSPTN).
The new plan encompasses 10 shifts on enterprising, holistic, balanced graduates, higher education talent excellence, lifelong learning community and quality TVET graduates.
The six other shifts are financial sustainability, empowering governance, enhancement of ecosystem innovation, renowned system at global level; global online learning and delivery of higher education for transformation.
The plan has been translated into 100 initiatives in three waves, namely the first wave for 2013-2015, second wave from 2016 to 2020 and the third wave from 2021 to 2025. --Bernama