Was a UEC education worth it? Graduates weigh pros and cons
Ayesha Sheik Mazrul
Published: Jan 2, 2026 7:00 AM
Updated: 10:00 AM
The Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) has periodically resurfaced in Malaysia’s public discourse, often framed through debates over national identity, unity, and language.
Supporters argue that recognising the UEC would broaden access to public universities for graduates of Chinese independent schools, while critics contend that it could undermine national education policy, particularly the role of Bahasa Malaysia as the central language of instruction.
While the debate remains largely unresolved, lost in the polemic are the voices of students who sat through the exams - sticking to their decision despite the uncertainty of it all.
For some former UEC candidates, the certificate did not become a defining fault line in their lives, but simply one educational choice among many, carrying practical consequences rather than ideological weight.
Reflecting on his time studying for the UEC back in 2011, Wong Wai Yong, 32, said that the certificate was no more than just questions on a paper that he had to get good grades for.
“For me, the UEC is simply an examination, with Chinese being the main medium of instruction.
“This has never given me any particular sense of separate identity; I see myself simply as an ordinary Malaysian,” he told Malaysiakini in an interview.
Chinese independent school students
Wong, who pursued further studies in Taiwan after completing secondary school, said he might not choose the UEC again, having later discovered that his SPM certificate could also be used for admission into pre-university or university programmes in Taiwan.
Sharing the same view was 31-year-old Ashley Lim (not her real name), but her reasons for not retaking the examination stemmed from how it kept her in a bubble, leaving her largely unaware of issues beyond her immediate circle.
“After I went to university in Taiwan, I noticed that student activists there would fight for reforms to their secondary school system and syllabus.
“That’s when I realised I didn’t know much about the education system issues in Malaysia.
“And when I started working in Malaysia, I realised that I rarely had multiracial friends during my study years, so I missed many opportunities to learn about the diverse cultures in Malaysia,” she said.
It was a choice
Both Lim and Wong said they were fully aware of the constraints of the UEC pathway - particularly the lack of access to public universities, government scholarships, and civil service positions.
However, the decision to push through did not stem from the exam itself, but rather their choice to study at a Chinese independent school.
Lim explained that for many families, such schools offer a more structured education, where attendance, academic performance, and discipline are maintained at the highest standard, prompting parents to pay higher school fees in exchange for what they see as better education quality.
For the record, all multistream secondary schools received government financial assistance before 1961. However, following the enactment of the Education Act 1961, only Malay- and English-medium schools were allowed to continue receiving such allocations.
Some schools subsequently made the difficult decision to align with government policy and were converted into national-type Chinese secondary schools.
A Chinese independent school
Others, however, chose to remain independent to preserve mother-tongue education. These schools eventually came to be known as “Chinese independent schools”.
Government funding for these schools has fluctuated over the years. During the Pakatan Harapan administration, allocations for such schools were included in the federal budget, with RM15 million in 2020 - an increase of RM3 million from the previous year.
Following the change in government in 2020, these allocations were discontinued. Assistance was instead channelled through special allocations, with RM15 million provided to 63 Chinese independent schools nationwide.
Last year, Chinese independent schools received a record RM18.9 million, while federal allocations for this year exceeded RM20 million for 63 Chinese independent schools nationwide.
UEC and the Malay language
Lim, however, acknowledged that her choice of school had its drawbacks, particularly in terms of Malay language proficiency, which she later found inadequate for the workplace.
“I could read and listen, but due to the environment, I couldn’t speak or write well. So I am still picking up these skills, learning while working,” she said.
Wong reiterated the same points, noting that while he had no complaints about his education, there was certainly major room to improve Malay language education.
“At the time, the teaching of Malay was heavily exam-oriented, relying on note memorisation and model answers, and was largely disconnected from real-life communication.
“Although I obtained a C+ in SPM Bahasa Malaysia, my Malay colleagues often found my word choices overly textbook-like, which made communication awkward at times,” he lamented.
Students sitting for an exam
Opponents of UEC recognition have consistently emphasised Bahasa Malaysia proficiency as a key reason for rejecting the certificate, arguing that the exam’s Chinese-medium instruction does not align with Malaysia’s education policy.
However, Chinese school proponents Dong Zong have countered those claims, noting that over 96 percent of Chinese independent school students passed the Malay SPM subject.
The group stressed that the national language is already a key component of the UEC syllabus and is a compulsory subject for the UEC curriculum.
However, good grades on paper may not be enough for those who are against the UEC.
In response to DAP’s push to obtain recognition for the exam, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said there is no need to recognise it unless the UEC implements the national language as its medium of teaching.
Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh also reiterated similar talking points, emphasising that Bahasa Malaysia is the main medium of instruction in the nation’s education policy.
DAP leaders, in response, hit back at these criticisms, with the party’s political education director, Howard Lee, accusing Akmal of stoking racial fire by “deliberately using false narratives to incite social antagonism”.
Howard Lee
Lee argued that multi-stream and mother-tongue education is widely practised internationally, referencing Switzerland, the Philippines, India, Canada, Guatemala, and parts of Europe where minority-language and bilingual education are institutionalised and protected by law.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim later also weighed in on the issue, saying that he has no problem with other languages in schools as long as the priority to master the Malay language is clear. This includes the UEC issue, which uses Chinese as the medium of instruction.
A decade after UEC
More than a decade after sitting for the UEC, both Wong and Lim said the exam itself has faded into the background of their lives, overtaken by university experiences, work, and personal growth.
Wong said employers rarely paid attention to his secondary school background, focusing instead on his university qualifications and job performance.
“Apart from being unable to enter public universities or join the civil service, I have not seen much direct impact (of taking the UEC).
“UEC holders can still apply for certain scholarships, and employment opportunities in the private sector are generally not affected.
“From my own experience and that of my friends, being a UEC holder does not make it harder to find a job,” he said.
Job seeker generic photo
With more Chinese companies establishing operations in Malaysia amid shifts in global trade, he added that the ability to communicate in both Chinese and English has become a distinct advantage.
Lim shared a similar experience, noting that no employer had ever questioned her educational background. Seven years into her career in media and public relations, she said her work opportunities have been shaped far more by her skills and experience than by an exam she took when she was 18.
Looking back, the duo agreed that mastering the national language is essential for Chinese independent school students, as it opens doors to more opportunities, especially in the working world.
Wong said he would still advise students to sit the SPM alongside the UEC, especially to ensure a stronger command of Bahasa Malaysia and to keep future options open.
“Regardless of career plans, I see it as a basic responsibility of being educated in Malaysia,” he added.
Lim, too, urged students in Chinese independent schools to consciously step outside their comfort zones, particularly by engaging with multiracial communities beyond school.
“Don’t only speak Chinese, don’t only make friends within Chinese circles… You will find the world is more interesting than you expect,” Lim said.
For them, the certificate neither defined their identity nor dictated their futures. Instead, it was one of many early decisions; consequential, but ultimately just a starting point.
As the national debate over the UEC continues, Lim’s and Wong’s experiences indicate that, beyond the political posturing, most students view education chiefly as a way to move forward, rather than as a marker of their identity.
