Statement Released by Dong Zong

February 18, 2023

UEC Should Be Rationally Reviewed from Academic Aspect

Appropriation for Non-Profit Educational Institutions Urged

 

The recent reply from the Minister of Education Fadhlina Sidek in the parliament revealed the recognition of the UEC is not a priority. She further informed appropriation was released merely to government schools and government-funded schools and systemised appropriation for independent Chinese secondary schools is not obliged. Dong Zong took it as an ignorance of the contributions of non-profit educational institutions and thinks it unfair towards MICSS education and the UEC issue since it is not considered as it stands.

 

To begin with, Dong Zong deems it important to remind the central government that in 2019, appropriation for MICSSs was historically included in its yearly Budget and it was the first time ever civilian effort in educational matter recognised. Since then, appropriation for MICSSs was released on yearly basis no matter which party was in power. Does the pronouncement made by the Minister of Education suggest no appropriation to be released to non-profit educational institutions such as MICSS, private religion schools and the like in the to-be-submitted Budget 2023?

 

We understand that in 2018, a special UEC task force (PPDUEC) formed by the MOE had spent years collecting materials and held discussion several times with educationists, including NGOs to finally formulate a report. Since immense resource had been consumed, we believe it rational and responsible only when the said report published and used as the basis for further assessment.

 

Likewise, STPM, IB and A Level, the UEC is an academic evaluation, thus the recognition of the UEC is an academic and educational issue. All social strata need to confine the matter to facts and study it rationally and academic issue should not be politicised and racialized.

 

Ever since the establishment of independent Chinese secondary schools, its major goal is to shape and mould students’ learning and competencies in alignment with the world education trend. MICSS curriculum, including the History subject, was designed observing the national education curriculum and assessment standard issued by the MOE as reference. In this vein, Bahasa Melayu the national language is accorded a compulsory subject which in actual fact is congruent with the Constitution, National Principles and multi-stream educational inherence.

 

As a last note, we hope the government in power will include all streams of non-profit educational institutions, including MICSS—which over the years had produced countless polymaths for the country while shouldering educational expenses—should be recognised, not to mention listing them in systemised appropriation, providing half-priced electricity and water, tax free or exemption, waiver of Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF), etc to relieve their economic burden in a bid to encourage continuous contributions.