If UEC is accepted, so must tahfiz school certification, says PAS wing

Chan Kok Leong Chan Kok Leong Updated 7 years ago · Published on 16 Sep 2018 12:48PM · 6 Comments

Women walking delegates seated at PAS' 64th annual congress in Kuala Terengganu today. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, September 16, 2018.

THE government must recognise educational certifications from religious and tahfiz schools if it wants to accept Unified Examination Certificates (UEC), said PAS’ Women’s wing.

“If it wants to recognise the UEC, it must also recognise certificates from religious schools that have been here far longer,” Women’s delegate Siti Makiah Samsudin said during a debate on UEC.

The resolution, which was passed unanimously, opposed any government effort to recognise the UEC as entry requirements into the civil service and public universities. 

Makiah said the UEC, based in Mandarin and English, was antithetical to the country’s education policies that upheld the use of the national language.

“Recognising the UEC will only split society further apart,” she said.

Ulama delegate Zulkifli Ismail said those who undertook the UEC had been unable to integrate into society as the educational system was separate from the mainstream system.

“Bahasa Malaysia is the national language and should form the basis of other examinations. As such, we will pressure the government not to recognise the UEC,” said Zulkifli, who tabled the resolution.

An infant napping at the PAS muktamar today. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, September 16, 2018.

No other delegates opposed the resolution and it was carried unanimously. 

Pakatan Harapan had promised to recognise the UEC in its election manifesto, while Barisan Nasional had said it would recognise “other certifications” in its manifesto ahead of the 14th general election.

Education Minister Maszlee Malik has delayed the recognition of the UEC and said studies were being conducted on the issue.

He had said recognising UEC would not jeopardise the standing of the Malay language. 

The number of students who take the UEC at Chinese independent schools only form 4% of the total recorded secondary students in 2017 at 2.1 million. – September 16, 2018.

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Comments

  • I didn't know UEC schools got government money. Wow! /S

    Posted 7 years ago by Chris Quek · Reply

  • YB Maszlee, please be transparent about UEC. This matter has been outstanding and the previous administration was not able to resolve the matter..
    Now, under purview by PH administration please advise the Rakyat what PHs stand is on UEC. Dont delay!
    First & foremost, does UECs terms comply with the requirements of the National Blueprint on Education?

    Posted 7 years ago by Thiruchelvam Thirunavukarasu · Reply

  • If one is smart, one should propose an alternative to UEC, which will promote unity of the nation, not one other system that will further divide the people and prone to sow discords among the people.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • Such a proposition from PAS only shows PAS is a no trainer.

      Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • If tahfiz schools offer the same standards and breadth of curriculum subjects, why not. But to be fair if UEC includes BM as a must pass, then tahfiiz must include one local language other than Malay. Fairs fair.

    Posted 7 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply

  • Is tahfiz school certification recognised by Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, etc.?

    Posted 7 years ago by T E · Reply