CHANGLUN: All matriculation graduates at the Education Ministry's matriculation colleges will get certificates that allow them to apply for positions in the civil service and private sectors beginning this year.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the decision was made after taking into consideration various achievements made through the ministry's matriculation programes, introduced in 1999.
"This decision will allow the students to apply for work if they do not want to further their studies," he said in his speech during his working visit to Kedah Matriculation College here this morning.
He said over the years, graduates from the ministry's matriculation colleges have been accepted to 11 well-known universities overseas, including the University of Birmingham and University of Manchester in United Kingdom, University of Sydney and Australia National University and University of Wellington, New Zealand.
Locally, he said the ministry's matriculation programme is recognised as major contributor of students to public and private universities.
Mahdzir said matriculation is a pre-university programme for Bumiputra students, with a 10 per cent opening to non-bumiputras, to further their studies at the degree level in science, technology and accounting.