The Education Ministry will offer 2,313 poor Form One students, including 925 from abject poor families, places in the Education Ministry's residential schools next year.

According to the Residential and Excellent Schools Management Division of the Ministry, they would be among 7,710 students selected for Form One in residential schools next year.

Students from abject poor families selected must have at least 3As and 2Bs in their Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) 2012, said the statement issued by the division here yesterday.

According to the statement, the ministry received 105,357 applications for admission into Form One of residential schools next year with 62,338 applicants from female pupils and 43,019 from male pupils.

Of the 7,710 residential school places, 3,645 places were allocated to female pupils and 4,065 places to male pupils.

"The intake policy for residential schools gives priority to students from the interior and rural areas. Therefore, more than 70 per cent or 5,397 places are allocated to students from the group," it said.

According to the statement, the results of the selection and location of students to residential schools in Form One would be announced by Dec 16.

Further information could be obtained from the ministry's website at www.moe.gov.my and successful pupils would also be informed through SMS.