LONDON: A Cambridge-standard Ujian Penilaian-Dual Language Programme (UP-DLP) for Year Six students is set to be implemented in Sarawak beginning October this year.
The initiative follows approval from the Federal Ministry of Education, and is carried out through collaboration with Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUP&A).
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the UP-DLP will include science, mathematics and English examinations, with all papers verified and vetted by CUP&A.
“The UP-DLP was primarily to prepare students to be proficient in English, and provide them with qualifications recognised internationally while giving due emphasis to Bahasa Melayu as the national language.
“Before the national education policy, Sarawak followed the Senior Cambridge Certificate (SC) and Higher School Certificate (HSC) standards.
“Many Sarawakians today are the products of those examinations,” he said.
He was speaking after witnessing the signing of a Contract of Service between CUP&A and Swinburne Innovation Malaysia (SWIM) in Cambridge.
SWIM Chief Executive Officer, Professor George Ngui, representing the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD), signed the agreement with CUP&A’s Managing Director of Partnership for Education, Jane Mann.
Under the programme, English will follow a Cambridge-based syllabus, while Bahasa Melayu remains guided by the national curriculum.
Meanwhile, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak will administer the assessments throughout the State.
On the same note, Abang Johari revealed that MEITD is working with the University of Cambridge to broaden student exposure.
He said the partnership will open doors to international scholarships and educational pathways.
Talks are underway to place Sarawakian students in top universities, including Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard and the London School of Economics.
“Sarawak is targeting 10 placements for outstanding students in strategic academic fields,” he said.
