DEPUTY Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof plans to ask the education ministry why it has no plans to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) as part of the national syllabus.

He said he wanted to know the rationale behind the decision as announced recently by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

He said that Sarawak recognised the credentials held by students of Chinese independent secondary schools.

“Of course, I will support it if (the) federal (government) follows what Sarawak has exercised, which is that we recognise the UEC,” he told reporters after an event in Kuching today, reports Borneo Post Online.

Fadillah also said that the previous government had considered recognising the UEC if it included some subjects from the national syllabus.

“I remember during the previous government, what we were looking at was that the UEC  would absorb some of the national syllabus in particular history and so on, then it may be recognised.

“Which means there is still room to negotiate and discuss with Chinese education associations. Let me get all the details first when I go back (to Putrajaya).”

Fadhlina recently said the ministry does not plan to recognise the UEC based on the National Education Policy, and the Education Act 1996.

Recognising the UEC was among the key pledges in Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto for the general election. –  March 4, 2023.