Govt to do thorough review of all aspects of UEC

Higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said the Unified Examination Certificate must align with public interest and national education goals before recognition can be considered.

Zambry said the issue of UEC’s recognition must not be viewed in isolation as it involves the entire education system, and not just the national curriculum.

He said while it was normal for various parties to have different opinions regarding the UEC’s recognition, the government will ensure every decision made takes into account the views of all parties, reported Bernama.

“Discussions have been held with various parties, including international schools, religious schools, and UEC-related parties, to avoid any policy discrepancies,” he told reporters in George Town, Penang, today.

He said education minister Fadhlina Sidek has held engagement sessions with stakeholders, and the government would make a decision on UEC’s recognition after considering all aspects of public interest.

UEC, the school-leaving certificate for students attending Chinese independent schools, has been a hot issue for decades.

It was created by the United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) to provide a unified examination after these schools opted out of the national curriculum in 1961 to maintain Chinese-medium instruction.

Efforts to recognise the certificate for entry into public universities or the federal civil service have often been countered by the apparently poor command of Bahasa Melayu among UEC graduates.

The UEC is, however, accepted in Sabah and Sarawak for entry into state-run universities and the state civil service.

Separately, Zambry said the government will not take lightly concerns regarding the need for Bahasa Melayu and History to be taught in schools that do not follow the national curriculum.

“The government is trying to improve the overall structure of the country’s education system,” he said after an event at Universiti Sains Malaysia.

On Jan 20, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that all schools in Malaysia, including religious, international, and private institutions, are now required to teach Bahasa Melayu and History according to the national curriculum, including for students taking the UEC.