INSTEAD of focusing on the status of the United Examination Certificate (UEC), the Higher Education Minister says it is important to take note of other education certificates not recognised by the government.
“We should not go overboard on a long-standing issue like this. The question asked to me was regarding the accreditation of a certain certification.
“We should not just focus on one certification; we should also look at what other certifications pose a hurdle for our children to enrol in higher education institutions,” Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said in the winding-up of the debate on the Supply Bill 2025.
The minister proposed a thorough study be done on unaccredited certificates in Malaysia on the current context, contents and curricula.
“I hope such issues aren’t discussed according to certain seasons to gain support,” he added.
Dr Wee Jeck Seng (BN-Tanjung Piai) had asked Zambry about the Sarawak government’s move to recognise the UEC, allowing holders of the certificate to work in the civil service.
Zambry said he was aware that some UEC graduates were interested in furthering their studies in public universities.
“But according to a circular by the Higher Education Ministry, the UEC certification can only be used for enrolment into private universities,” he added.
In February last year, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the government did not recognise the UEC, which is used in private Chinese secondary schools.
The UEC exam, taken by Form Six students at independent Chinese schools, is considered equivalent to the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) by many foreign universities.
