KUCHING: The federal government has been urged to honour its longstanding promise to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), with SUPP Batu Kitang saying the issue should no longer remain unresolved after years of political commitments.
Branch secretary Amy Tnay said the continued lack of federal recognition of the UEC was increasingly difficult to understand, especially when graduates of independent Chinese secondary schools were able to enter internationally renowned universities and also benefit from Sarawak’s higher education initiatives.
According to her, the argument that independent Chinese secondary schools are not part of the national education system should no longer be used as a justification for delaying UEC recognition.
“The issue should be addressed objectively and fairly, taking into account educational quality, practical needs and the overall national interest,” she said.
She said the Sarawak government had on its part demonstrated its commitment to Chinese independent education through consistent policies, including recognising the UEC for the past 12 years and providing annual grants to all 14 independent Chinese secondary schools in the state for 13 consecutive years.
“Thirteen consecutive years of support, with cumulative grants exceeding RM100 million, is not merely a figure.
“It represents a significant milestone in the development of Chinese education in Sarawak,” Tnay said, adding that the annual allocation had increased from RM3 million in 2014 to RM10 million this year, bringing the total assistance to RM102 million over 13 years.
Tnay added that Sarawak’s support extended beyond financial assistance, with UEC graduates also benefiting from the state’s Free Higher Education Programme.
“As of April this year, 94 graduates from independent Chinese secondary schools have received full sponsorship, proving that Sarawak’s recognition is not merely rhetorical but translated into actual policies,” she said.
Tnay urged Sarawakians to continue supporting a state government that had taken concrete steps to safeguard Chinese education, while rejecting political parties that raised the UEC issue during elections but failed to deliver on their promises.
