Teo to meet Dong Zong about UEC recognition

New deputy education minister wants to find out how UEC became accepted as an entry qualification among overseas universities.

Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim, Teo Nie Ching and Machang Bubuk assemblyman Lee Khai Loon at Teo’s press conference today.

GEORGE TOWN: Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching is to have a meeting next week with leaders of the Dong Zong group of Chinese educationists about government recognition of the United Education Certificate.

“This will be my first meeting with Dong Zong and I wish to get their feedback on how they managed to get overseas universities to recognise the UEC,” she said today.

“I think that mechanism will be helpful in assisting our officers in determining how we in Malaysia can accept UEC as an admission qualification for public universities.”

Next week’s meeting is expected to be the first of many.

The UEC is the school-leaving certificate issued by independent Chinese-medium schools in Malaysia. Chinese educationists have long pressed for government recognition of the certificate for entry into public universities and for employment in the public service.

Teo said she would also get Dong Zong’s views on suitable locations for additional Chinese schools in the country.

“They have their own data and details on where we need more Chinese schools,” she said. The information would help the ministry to decide on the best locations, even if not all Dong Zong locations were acceptable.

Teo said the federal government was committed to obtaining recognition of the UEC as soon as possible and this was one of the items in Pakatan Harapan’s election campaign manifesto.

The certificate has received limited recognition as an entry qualification in Sarawak, Selangor and Penang.

Malay-based groups, such as Perkasa and Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung, have objected on the grounds that the UEC curriculum was not in line with education policies of the previous government. -FMT