“Will myths, propaganda be embodied into mandated history syllabus for UEC, int’ school pupils?”

 

MYTHS, half-truths, untruths and propaganda being passed off as fact.

That is a chief concern among some unsettled parents over the move to introduce SPM History into the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) and international school syllabi.

In a move that has caused massive reverberations in the local education landscape, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had dropped a bombshell that has not gone down well with certain segments of society.

Speaking at the launch of the National Education Plan 2026-2035 in Putrajaya yesterday (Jan 20), PMX mandated that all schools – UEC, religious or international – must offer SPM Bahasa Melayu and History as mandatory subjects for all local students.

However, this news has caused consternation among certain parents, in particular introduction of the History subject as was evidenced by feedback on cyberspace.

On The Star’s Facebook site, the alarm had been well and truly sounded with some parents cynical as to the content of the History syllabus to be introduced.

The same concerns were also to be found on the MalaysiaKini Facebook platform where news of this bombshell was shared.

PMX had also declared that the long-standing controversy over recognising the UEC should no longer persist now that Bahasa Malaysia and history subjects have been made compulsory for students seeking entry into public higher education.

This is considering that circumstances surrounding the UEC debate had fundamentally changed with the vast majority of pupils from Chinese independent schools already sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) Bahasa Malaysia paper alongside their UEC qualifications.

However, fears of a revisionist version of history are apparent among some here with the recent brouhaha over an academic’s well-publicised claim of Romans learning shipbuilding techniques from Malays was highlighted.

Some commenters here alluded to UEC syllabus being superior and that this was mere political theatre designed to create headlines rather than bring about meaningful change.

On a less contentious note, it was also revealed that tertiary students were also to be affected.

On the Malay Mail Facebook page, it was reported that general education subjects covering issues of the Federal Constitution and Malaysian history will be included in the curriculum of all public and private universities starting this year.

According to PMX, the subjects will be taught fully in Malay and will be made compulsory for all Malaysian students in higher learning institutions.

“At the tertiary level, we do not make Bahasa Melayu and History compulsory but starting this year, we’ll introduce revised general education subjects which are to be taught in Malay in all public and private universities for Malaysian students, namely the Federal Constitution and Malaysian History.”

Again, concerns over veracity and accuracy of the content of these proposed subjects were highlighted.

Education has been a political hot potato in Malaysia for decades. Despite the reservation of some parents, it is perhaps a step in the right direction bringing together a more unified and systematic syllabi with common touchstones.

It is truly hoped that this proposed move will be for the good of all Malaysian students and not a means to insert half-truths and mythical legends designed to propagate certain political-inclined agendas. –   Focus Malaysia