Dong Jiao Zong hopes new education minister recognises UEC, resolves vernacular school suit

Two prominent Chinese educationist groups have presented their list of requests to newly minted Education Minister Mohd Radzi Mohd Jidin and among them is for the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) to be recognised.

In a joint statement today, the United Chinese School Committees’ Association (Dong Zong) and United Chinese School Teachers’ Association of Malaysia (Jiao Zong) hoped Radzi would treat all school streams “fairly”.

“Dong Jiao Zong urges the government to make public the (UEC) task force’s report and to announce the recognition of the UEC,” they said.

The UEC is a school-leaving examination taken by students at private Chinese secondary schools that are governed by Dong Zong.

Equivalent to the British A-levels and recognised by several foreign universities, it is not an accepted qualification for entry into most Malaysian public tertiary institutions.

Only Sabah accepts the UEC for entry into universities and the state’s civil service, on condition certain language and subject criteria are met.

The now-collapsed Pakatan Harapan had promised to eventually recognise the certificate and set up a task force to study ways to do this. The fact-finding committee has completed its summary findings.

Legal suit, Jawi and funding

Under Radzi, Dong Jiao Zong hoped that the ministry would intervene in an ongoing constitutional challenge brought by Malay nationalist groups against vernacular schools.

“This would assure that the different school streams in the country will be able to exist and develop in peace. And protect the many cultures in Malaysia, ensuring the country’s prosperity and social harmony,” they added.

They further requested that the Bersatu lawmaker help resolve long-standing problems plaguing vernacular schools including a shortage of teaching staff, inadequate facilities and inadequate funding.

Another request was for him to “properly” deal with the issue of the optional teaching of the Jawi script as part of the Year Four Bahasa Malaysia syllabus for vernacular schools.

Dong Jiao Zong has consistently campaigned for their school boards to be given the power to decide whether Jawi should be taught, rather than allow the parent-teacher associations the first say.

The two groups also hoped the Radzi would engage with experts, education groups and civil society when deciding education policies for the nation.  - Mkini