Mohamad: UEC recognition requires alignment with national language, curriculum

 

Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said Malaysia’s education system must be developed in line with national ideals and anchored in the national language to strengthen the country’s identity. Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR: The Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) will continue to be regarded as a qualification that is not equivalent to the national education system and does not require formal recognition unless it is reformed to align with national aspirations.

Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said Malaysia's education system must be developed in line with national ideals and anchored in the national language to strengthen the country's identity.

"As a sovereign nation, the education system must be built in line with national aspirations. It must be grounded in the mission, values, interests and ideals of the nation. It must also be implemented in the mother tongue to strengthen national identity.

"However, in embracing diversity and respecting the interests of different communities, the government has never prohibited the implementation of the UEC, which Dong Zong has administered since 1975. It has never faced any issues in its implementation.

"The issue is not its implementation, but its recognition," he said in a statement on Facebook.

The Barisan Nasional deputy president said the government would have no objection to recognising the UEC if it were conducted in the national language and designed to reflect national aspirations.

"Until it fulfils these criteria, it cannot be considered equivalent to national qualifications."

Mohamad, who is also the foreign minister, said strengthening unity in a multiracial nation is not an easy task.

"We believe the only way to build a national identity is through education in the national language and a curriculum rooted in local wisdom, balanced with international standards."

He also cautioned against politicising education, stressing that it is the main platform for children of all backgrounds to learn to cooperate in harmony.

Mohamad said Malaysians who prefer an alternative pathway are free to pursue studies under the UEC system.

"That will not be stopped. But the government should not be compelled to recognise and equate the qualification because it was not formulated to nurture the identity and uniqueness of the national education system," he said.

He added that UEC holders face no difficulty entering universities, as many institutions in Malaysia and abroad accept the certificate.

The UEC is the examination for independent Chinese secondary schools in Malaysia. At national level, it is not recognised by the federal government or by public universities.

However, several state governments, including Sabah and Sarawak, accept UEC certificates for state-level employment and scholarships.

Recently, DAP deputy chairman Nga Kor Ming said the party would meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to discuss UEC recognition. - NST