Ramasamy: Partial recognition inadequate; Madani gov’t must clearly spell out its UEC stance

 

OPPOSITION TO the recognition of the United Examination Certificate (UEC) of the Chinese Private Secondary Schools (CPSS) is predicated on the grounds that the schools are not part of the national school system.

Students who opted for the CPSS after six years of primary education in government Chinese primary schools should have known the consequences of pursuing secondary education in CPSS.

It must be understood that children enrolling in CPSS are not just Chinese but also Malays and Indians although the latter groups might not be as large as the Chinese community.

Once students have gone through the CPSS system and taken the UEC, they cannot be expected to be automatically admitted into public universities in the country.

It is argued that this would not be fair to students who went through the full primary and secondary government school system in the country.

The above is the argument advanced by academic Prof Emeritus Dr Teo Kok Seong who is vehemently opposed to the recognition of the UEC.

Following Sabah, Sarawak

He said recently that parents sending their children to CPSS cannot expect to enjoy the best of the both worlds.

However, those who oppose the recognition of the UEC fail to point out that the CPSS operates in the country on a legal and constitutional basis. It is not as though the CPSS functions in an alien environment.

By allowing the functioning of the CPSS, the government effectively recognises the school system even if it is not formally part of the national education system.

Therefore, denying recognition to the UEC is not only unreasonable but also inconsistent.

Of course, the government has the right to impose strict conditions on the eligibility of UEC students seeking admission into public universities.

These eligibility criteria are no different from the conditional acceptance applied to students with matriculation, STPM and, in some cases, SPM qualifications.

Lately, the government has relented in giving admission to UEC students provided they obtain a credit in Bahasa Melayu at the SPM level and pass History.

The same conditions are imposed on students from tahfiz institutions that use Arabic as the medium of instruction and other private institutions.

By recognising the UEC, the government has merely repeated what had earlier been done in the regions of Sabah and Sarawak.

These two regions are worlds apart from Peninsular Malaysia when it comes to the recognition of the UEC.

‘Honesty, responsibility lacking’

More importantly, UEC students have gained admission into universities abroad based on their academic achievements.

For nationalist reasons and in order not to alienate Malay nationalists, the government delayed recognition of the UEC.

Whether the recent recognition was an attempt to appease DAP in anticipation of the coming elections remains to be seen.

Now, of course, DAP will go to town with the latest news on the UEC.

All pre-university qualifications such as STPM, matriculation, UEC and others are conditional requirements for admission into public universities depending on the availability of places and other criteria.

However, the conditions imposed on UEC holders cannot be interpreted as non-recognition of the entrance qualification.

The government has finally recognised the UEC of the CPSS but it lacks the honesty and responsibility to provide the clear affirmation that is expected. Some civil servants are still claiming that the government has yet to fully recognise the UEC.

Since the government has recognised the UEC, whether conditionally or otherwise, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim must categorically state the government’s official stand on the UEC.—May 17, 2026

Former DAP stalwart and Penang deputy chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT

- Focus Malaysia.