Sabah will recognise the UEC but with conditions

(FMT) – The Sabah government said it recognises the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) as an entrance qualification for public institutions of higher learning (IPTA) and the state civil service.

Chief Minister Shafie Apdal said, however, there are several aspects that need to be taken into consideration.

“The UEC is recognised in Sabah. The state government has already decided to recognise the certificate,” he said at the launch of the Mid-Autumn (Mooncake) Festival at Lintas Square here last night.

The UEC is the unified examination for independent Chinese secondary schools which do not follow the national education system.

In a statement, Shafie said there are nine independent Chinese secondary schools and educational institutions offering the UEC.

“There are currently 1,153 candidates of UEC at junior level and 583 at senior level, and they sit for two types of examinations.

“Candidates who undertake the Junior UEC examination are required to sit for the Form Three Assessment (PT3) examination and those sitting for the Senior UEC examination must also sit for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

“I am also glad to say that 83 of them are Bumiputeras,” he said.

Shafie said while the Sabah Education Department supported the decision to recognise the UEC, one must also have a credit in Bahasa Melayu and a pass in History at the SPM level and a pass in Malaysia University English Test (MUET) to gain entry to an IPTA.

He said the state Public Services Department also agreed that UEC holders wanting to be appointed into the civil service will need the necessary qualifications as specified under the department’s rules and regulations.

At the same time, he said they must have the necessary minimum SPM qualifications or whatever qualifications that have been set by the Sabah government.