PUTRAJAYA: The government's decision to broaden admission pathways to students from outside the national education system into public institutions of higher learning does not compromise the national education policy, says Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
The Higher Education Minister said the national education policy remains unchanged, with the main requirement for entry still based on the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).
"It is not about granting recognition (to other systems).
"Whether you are from an international school, private Chinese secondary school, religious school or any institution not following the national curriculum, you must follow our system," he said in his speech at the 2025 excellent service awards of the Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education here on Friday (May 15).
He said the decision had been politicised, leading to debates over the national education system.
"When we do this, some say we are compromising our education system," he said.
Zambry said Bahasa Melayu and History subjects in the SPM examination are compulsory requirements for admission into public institutions of higher learning, including from those outside the national education system.
"SPM remains compulsory even for students from those streams. This is because our UPUOnline system assessment is based on SPM results.
On Thursday (May 15), the Cabinet made several decisions on entry pathways for students from outside the national education system.
However, these were misrepresented by certain parties, including political groups, who claimed the government had recognised the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), Bernama reported.
