Call to Sabah govt to recognize UEC
KOTA KINABALU: The United Association of Private Chinese Secondary School Committees Sabah (Sabah Dong Zong) chairman Datuk Jimmy Yong Kyok Ming has urged the State Government to recognize the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).
“Our State Government has always been open-minded towards Chinese education, as well as being the first state government in Malaysia to provide annual allocation to support Chinese independent secondary schools.
“Hence, I urge the State Government to take another step forward in granting recognition to UEC.”
Yong said some state governments in Malaysia have recognized the UEC with Sarawak being the first.
He said all the nine Chinese independent secondary schools in Sabah adopted a dual-track education system which required students to sit for both the UEC and Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), with equal emphasis on Chinese, Malay and English languages.
“Our students have a good grasp of Bahasa Malaysia (BM) and pass the subject in SPM.
“More than 11.6 per cent of our students are bumiputeras,” he added.
Yong said UEC students in Sabah would have no issue in obtaining certification for professional qualification when they graduated from universities because they possessed SPM certification.
“UEC holders are able to enroll into more than 1,000 foreign universities worldwide.
“UEC is being recognized globally, but why not our own country?”
Yong said that during the installation ceremony of the 19th Dong Zong Committee, 17th Sabah Chinese Primary School Working Committee and 12th Sabah Chinese Headmasters Activities Committee here on Sunday. The guest of honor for the event was the Minister of Special Tasks Datuk Teo Chee Kang.
Another challenge faced by Chinese independent secondary schools is the decreasing number of students, he said.
“The total number of students at the nine Chinese independent schools in Sabah has decreased from 6,502 in 2015, to 6,355 in 2016 and 6,389 in 2017.
“Out of the 6,389 students this year, 743 of them, or 11.6 per cent, are bumiputeras.”
He said Chinese independent secondary schools in smaller towns were having difficulty in recruiting students due to the decreasing number of Chinese students enrolled in kindergartens and Chinese primary schools.
Hence, Yong suggested to the secondary schools to offer additional courses to attract more students to Chinese independent high schools.
“For example, Chinese independent secondary schools in Lahad Datu, Tawau and Sandakan offer oil palm related courses. Agricultural courses can be offered at the school in Tenom, tourism and technological courses in Kota Kinabalu in order to enhance students’ employment prospects.”
On another note, Yong commended Chinese independent secondary school teachers for their diligence and dedication despite being paid lower than their counterparts in government schools and Chinese independent high schools in West Malaysia.
“In spite of the lower remuneration, Chinese independent secondary school teachers in Sabah have to cope with longer teaching periods.”
He said the Board of Governors of the schools had the desire to improve the welfare and benefits of teachers but majority of the schools lacked fixed revenue and had to rely on school fees and public donations to sustain.
Also present were Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Edward Yong Oui Fah and Datin Mary Wong, Sabah Dong Zong life honorary chairman Tan Sri Andrew Liew, The United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) chairman Temenggong Datuk Vincent Lau Lee Ming, Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (SEDA) chairman Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai, Acting Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu, Zhang He, Batu Sapi member of parliament Linda Tsen, Sabah Dong Zong honorary advisors Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee, Tan Sri Joseph Lo, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr T.C. Goh, Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen and Datuk Paul Lim.