KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad today said the government’s move to relax the requirements for the nurse training programme from five Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) credits to three will not affect its quality.
He said analytical skills, critical thinking, and theoretical understanding will still be maintained as the curriculum remains unchanged.
“The ministry believes that lowering the credit requirement from five to three is aimed at increasing the enrollment of SPM graduates in the nursing field.
“This will not compromise the quality of nursing training, as it does not affect core subjects such as Malay Language, Mathematics, and Science. Analytical skills, critical thinking, and theoretical understanding will still be maintained as the curriculum remains unchanged.
“Furthermore, this revision does not impact the international accreditation of Malaysia’s Diploma in Nursing programs, as they continue to meet academic and training standards,” he said in a written parliamentary reply.
He was responding to Mas Gading MP Morsi Bimol who asked if the ministry is facing a nursing shortage crisis in the public and private sectors.
Dzulkefly said that SPM credit relaxation is effective from January 2025 to December 2026.
As of December last year, the Kuala Selangor MP said that there are 9,585 nursing vacancies in the ministry, while private hospitals have 3,493 vacancies.
The minister also said that it has expanded entry pathways for the Diploma in Nursing programme beyond the SPM to include graduates from the Malaysian Vocational Education Certificate (SPVM), Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM), Malaysian Higher Religious Certificate (STAM), “O” Level, “A” Level, and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE).
Recently, a circular regarding the relaxed entry requirements went viral, stating that the entry requirements for the Nursing Diploma programme have been reduced to just three credits, including Bahasa Melayu, Mathematics, and Science.
Dzulkefly Ahmad confirmed this in a statement to Malay daily newspaper Utusan Malaysia on February 3.
Previously, candidates were required to have five credits, including Bahasa Melayu, Mathematics or Additional Mathematics, one Science subject (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Applied Science), English, and a pass in any other subject to qualify for the programme.
The letter states that the country is currently facing a severe shortage of nurses to meet healthcare demands.
Therefore, if this issue is not addressed, it will have a significant impact on the nation’s well-being.
