KUALA LUMPUR – The Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) is often touted as being widely recognised by foreign universities, including top-tier institutions, but the acceptance of the qualification is not necessarily unconditional.
In the past, proponents of the UEC have flaunted the fact that most higher learning institutions abroad recognise it as a prerequisite to a slew of science and arts courses.
However, a deeper look reveals that there is more to it than meets the eye.
For example, the National University of Singapore is among a series of foreign universities that requires UEC holders to sit for additional English exams such as IELTS, the Cambridge 1119, or even the Malaysian-sanctioned MUET.
They are to obtain higher-than-average scores before they can proceed to their respective courses.
“Applicants applying to medicine, dentistry, law, nursing, pharmacy, and pharmaceutical science for admission in academic year 2021 will be assessed based on the applicant’s Unified Examination Certificate results,” reads the admissions section of the NUS website.
This is also the case for countries in the Anglosphere, especially the US, UK, and Australia.
However, it should be noted that elsewhere in the world, UEC holders can enjoy seamless admissions to tertiary institutions.
For example, Taiwan is one of the choice destinations for UEC students, with the National Taiwan University and Taipei Medical University reportedly among those that recognise the certificate.
Similarly, most top Russian institutions, such as the Kursk State Medical University, Russian National Research Medical University, and First Moscow State Medical University recognise the UEC and are generally more lenient with IELTS grades; those scoring less than band 6.5 and above 5.0 can still appeal to be enrolled.
In the US, some universities require candidates to sit the SAT, GRE, and GMAT, apart from having IELTS and TOEFL results. And, like Australia, the UK makes IELTS or TOEFL mandatory.
A country like Ireland, on the other hand, imposes different requirements for admission every year.
Furthermore, non-English speaking countries, such as France and Japan, require UEC holders to sit exams or attend courses in their respective languages.
UEC, a standardised examination under the Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary Schools system, was first introduced in 1975 in a bid to streamline examinations.
Prior to that, schools had been hosting their own examinations after the government stopped providing standardised papers in the Chinese language to these institutions since the early 1960s as part of its push for a national education syllabus.
Since then, Chinese education advocacy group Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia) has been working to get the UEC recognised by the federal government.
Locally, most private colleges accept the certificate marketed as an equivalent to STPM and A-Levels as an entry criterion for their institutions, but not public universities.
To proponents of the UEC, the decision to not recognise it is baffling, but to the government, the motivation is simple – it wants a single, national education system for all students.
Additionally, the financial and commercial motivations behind foreign public and private institutions opening up to international students are often left unmentioned when debating the matter.
Some inaccurate notions
Also, the notion by proponents that most top-tier institutions, such as the exclusive Oxbridge cluster of universities in the UK and the Ivy League universities of the US, accept the UEC is not completely true.
For example, the renowned University of Oxford – one of the top universities in the world – explicitly says on its website that it does not accept the UEC as an entry certificate. It does, however, allow entry for high-scoring STPM leavers.
The University of Cambridge, on the other hand, makes no mention of the UEC as an accepted document on its website, although this does not mean that UEC holders will not be allowed to enter the institution.
In Scotland, the University of Edinburgh places more conditions on UEC holders compared with those who take the STPM.
“The UEC (Senior Middle Level) is considered for entry to year 1, at Grades A1 to B3. We require a minimum of five subjects (excluding Chinese, Malay, Book Keeping and Accounts, and Commerce). Students will also need to provide evidence of English language proficiency (UEC English is not suitable),” the Edinburgh University website reads.
For entry to the College of Science and Engineering, it says UEC-based applications will be considered with a minimum of five subjects at AAABB-AAAAA grades and more competitive programmes may require higher grades.
It adds that the UEC is also not acceptable for entry to the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, while other courses in the science and arts fields also hold high-grade requirements.
Meanwhile, STPM applicants to the University of Edinburgh do not have to fulfil such strict requirements as it is seen as equivalent to the A-level examination on a grade-for-grade basis.
The University of Portsmouth requires SPM and Senior Middle Level UEC holders to do a foundation year before pursuing an undergraduate course. However, Portsmouth can take in those with a minimum of three STPM subjects, or a Matrikulasi (Matriculation) certificate, and those with “suitable” UEC qualifications.
Issue framed in racial politics
Critics have argued that the rationale not to accredit the certificate goes beyond education. Over the years, the issue has become politicised and racialised. It is still a contentious point when brought up.
By not recognising the UEC, there is a belief that the government can, to a certain extent, persuade more Chinese students to join public secondary schools, subsequently fostering national unity.
There is also the fear that the UEC will cause further racial segregation among the multiracial community of Malaysia, and that it will further devalue the national language.
Malay rights umbrella group Pembela has been airing its opposition on its social media platforms, arguing that giving the UEC recognition is akin to “a betrayal of our grandchildren, our ancestors, the education system, and the country’s harmony”.
For supporters of the UEC though, this sentiment is moot, as there has been no indication to prove that the recognition of the examination will lead to further division. –- The Vibes, September 27, 2021
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