Acting education minister Adam Shareef Umar has announced that the ministry will be awarding the top 10 O-level students at their ceremony.

The education ministry earlier announced that it will only award students in the top three, but was forced to reverse its decision following backlash from students.

The earlier announcement caused students to take to social media to voice their concern. Some have said they worked hard to achieve a spot in the top 10, and not just the top three, and that they are dismayed that the government has decided to not reward them at the auspicious ceremony for their 10 years of hard work.

The education ministry tried to do the same in 2014, but refrained back then following student protests as well.

Last year, the education ministry changed the criteria for choosing students for the top 10 ranking.