DAPSY: “Academic merit, high BM proficiency proof that UEC should be recognised”

 

DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) has reiterated that Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) should be evaluated based on its academic merit and not be evaluated through narrow-minded politics or unfounded sentiments.

In a statement on Tuesday (Dec 17), DAPSY national publicity secretary Ho Chi Yang said Article 152 of the Federal Constitution not only establishes the Malay language as the national language but also clearly guarantees the use and development of each mother tongue, thus becoming the legal basis for the existence and development of the multi-stream education system.

“In this context, apart from the existence of vernacular schools such as SJKC and SJKT,  Chinese vernacular schools were also established a long time ago and have been operating legally since after independence and in line with the spirit of the Constitution,” he said.

“At the same time, Dong Zong as the body that runs the UEC has stressed that Bahasa Melayu is a compulsory subject in the UEC curriculum. It also welcomes the proposal for UEC students to obtain credit the SPM Bahasa Melayu paper as part of the recognition framework.”

Ho was responding to Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir’s statement yesterday (Dec 16) that any discussions on the recognition of education certificates, including the UEC, must be evaluated comprehensively and objectively within the framework of the existing national education system.

Zambry said the issue should not be politicised, as doing so could affect the objectivity and direction of the country’s education development, adding that matters involving certificates must be assessed based on the present education ecosystem, including language, history and other relevant aspects.

“In this regard, Dong Zong has also noted that the high pass rates of UEC students in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) Bahasa Melayu paper in the recent years has exceeded 96% over the past three years,” said Ho.

“This is in addition to the body’s ongoing efforts—including the establishment of a working group with the Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia—to strengthen Bahasa Melayu proficiency among students in Chinese vernacular schools.”

Ho said recognising the UEC does not automatically turn Chinese private schools into government schools; rather, the recognition simply acknowledges that UEC is an academic qualification with international credibility that has been regarded as equivalent to the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), A-Levels, and other international qualifications.

“In other words, the purpose of recognising the UEC is merely to allow UEC graduates to apply for admission to public universities so that those who are especially excellent can choose to continue their studies in local universities and subsequently contribute to the country,” he continued.

“It is obvious that certain stereotypes that some parties have against the UEC are based on narrow-minded politics and unfounded racial sentiments.

“All these facts are evidence that UEC recognition can be implemented pragmatically, based on facts and academic merit, to ensure that more excellent and skilled youth can continue to serve the development of society and the progress of the country.” ‒  Focus Malaysia