The board says UEC holders continue to face obstacles in securing limited places at IPTAs through the so-called ‘open application’ system, which it claimed involved numerous restrictions and screening processes.

KUCHING (May 16): The federal government lacks the political will to fully recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), said the Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary School Management Board.

The board said UEC holders continue to face obstacles in securing limited places at higher learning institutions (IPTAs) through the so-called ‘open application’ system, which it claimed involved numerous restrictions and screening processes.

“This seriously violates the principle of educational equality and constitutes disguised suppression and deliberate belittling of the UEC.

“We solemnly remind certain politicians not to sacrifice their principles or betray the educational rights and social justice long upheld by the Chinese community for the sake of power and official positions. Society will make its own judgement,” the board said in a statement.

The statement was issued in response to Higher Education director-general Datuk Prof Dr Azlinda Azman’s recent announcement that the Federal Cabinet had agreed to allow UEC holders to apply for admission into public universities, subject to several conditions.

Among the requirements are passing Bahasa Malaysia and History in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, while applicants are limited to applying for four designated Chinese-related courses.

According to the board, Azlinda had stressed that the arrangement did not amount to formal recognition of the UEC.

The board added that UEC holders with full SPM qualifications must apply through the UPUOnline system, with admissions subject to ministry-set performance evaluations and course requirements.

“From this application mechanism, SPM results continue to hold a dominant position, while the UEC has been marginalised and reduced to a mere ‘dowry’,” it said.

The board argued that the approach undermines the comprehensive education system established by Chinese independent secondary schools over many years and questioned whether the federal government truly respects the country’s diverse education system and the international recognition of the UEC.

“We believe that the federal government’s announcement is more of a political expedient than concrete action towards progressive educational reform.

“The issue of UEC recognition has been delayed for decades and repackaged whenever politically convenient, yet the Chinese community has never received fair, clear or institutionalised recognition,” it said.

The board noted that Chinese independent secondary schools provide well-rounded education in Science, Engineering, Business and Arts, producing graduates who have excelled in various professional fields.

It stated that the UEC is recognised by many prestigious universities worldwide, enabling students to pursue diverse academic and professional pathways.

“The Sarawak government fully recognised UEC as early as 2015. With the implementation of its free higher education policy this year, UEC holders are eligible to apply for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and other high-demand professional programmes at state-owned universities based on their UEC results,” it said.

In contrast, the board claimed the federal government continued to narrowly associate Chinese independent secondary school education with Chinese language studies alone.

“This limits UEC holders to Chinese-related majors and ignores the fact that Chinese independent secondary schools cultivate talent in Science, Engineering, Business, Social Sciences and many other fields.

“This severely restricts the academic choices and development opportunities of outstanding UEC students, exposing the federal government’s lack of inclusiveness and respect for educational diversity,” it said.

The board further warned that the prolonged delays and inconsistent handling of the UEC had eroded the Chinese community’s trust in the government.

“If the federal government continues approaching the UEC issue in a politically motivated way, it will further erode public trust in national education policies and damage the government’s credibility and authority,” it added.

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