PUTRAJAYA: The Unified Examination Certificate Task Force (PPDUEC) has given its assurance that the final report on its findings on the issue of recognising the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) will be submitted to the Education Ministry by the end of this month.
PPDUEC Task Force chairman Eddin Khoo Bu Eng said the task force is in the final stages of completing the report, pending one final meeting with all members of Parliament on Oct 16.
"The meeting with the MPs will be the pinnacle of all our meetings and engagements with various stakeholders pertaining to the issue.
"The best way to get the findings to the people is through their representatives. The MPs will be able to convey the issue to their constituents better," he told a press conference at the Education Ministry.
The Education Ministry had appointed the three-person panel task force last year. The panel consists of Khoo, Dong Zhong deputy president Datuk Tan Yew Sing and Muslim Islamic Youth Movement of Malaysia president Mohamad Raimi Abdul Rahim.
The UEC is the unified examination for independent Chinese secondary schools.
Pakatan Harapan, in its 14th general election manifesto, had pledged to recognise the UEC.
Khoo said after that, the report will be presented in Parliament, after which, it would be up to the federal and state governments to evaluate or accept all the recommendations put forth by the PPDUEC.
"To date, we have interviewed and engaged with 72 bodies and authorities such as political parties, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders, including those who had spoken their stand or issued statements on the UEC.
"It was definitely not an easy process as it involves not only vernacular schools but also the country’s entire education system.
"When we were tasked to do this, we discovered that it is not only an academic issue, but there had also been plenty of (debate over) and politicisation of the matter.
"Various issues and concerns were raised during our engagements about the UEC and the whole national education system, and we have added everything into the report," he added.
From the engagements, it was found that most of the stakeholders opined that reform is needed in the national education system to further strengthen it, particularly the syllabus offered, Khoo said.
He said he had also requested to the ministry to make the report public, so that it could be assessed and read by all.
"However, it is up to the government whether they want to do so.
"If it is made available in the public domain, it would serve as a future reference," he added.
On the Sabah government’s move to recognise the UEC, Khoo said it is entirely up to the federal and state governments on whether to recognise the UEC, or otherwise.
"They can decide whether or not to recognise the UEC. We have collected the feedback and it is up to them to decide on it.