UEC Holders’ IPTA Pathway Should Be Viewed With Balanced Consideration – Academics

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — The government’s decision to conditionally open admission pathways for Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) graduates into public institutions of higher learning (IPTA) should be viewed with due care, maturity and balanced consideration, academics said. In a joint statement today, Dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences and Technology (FEST), Universiti Teknologi […]

History, Malay Language remain compulsory subjects for IPTA – Zambry

PUTRAJAYA, 15 MAY -- The subjects of Malay Language and History in the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) remain mandatory requirements for admission to public higher education institutions (IPTA), including for students who graduated from outside the national education system. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said it also applied to the decision of the Cabinet meeting yesterday, which agreed on several decisions regarding the entry routes for students from tahfiz schools or institutions, private schools and Chinese Private Secondary Schools (SMPC) to follow study programmes at IPTA. "SPM is still mandatory even if he (the student) is studying that stream. This is because our UPU (UPUOnline system) assessment is based on SPM results. "This means he sat for two examinations including passing History and Malay Language subjects which are recognised by the Malaysian Examinations Board," he told reporters after attending the 2025 Excellent Service Awards Ceremony of the Polytechnic and Community College Education Department here today. Earlier, Zambry, in his speech, stressed that the requirements for admission to IPTA must still be based on the SPM system even though the government has opened up certain pathways for students from other education systems. "The basics must be the same. For example, from any stream, entry into IPTA must be based on our SPM system," he said. Zambry said the government's decision was, however, manipulated by some quarters as if the government was sacrificing the country's education system. Yesterday, the government agreed to several regulations regarding the entry routes for students from tahfiz schools or institutions, private schools and SMPCs to IPTA. Candidates from this stream who also have a full SPM can apply for any study programme offered through the UPUOnline system. In another development, Zambry said the government is working to bring polytechnic institutions and community colleges to a new level in line with current changes and the country's development needs. "We can no longer see polytechnics as just support institutions or second feeder institutions . The world is changing and we know we will be left behind if we don't change," he said. -- BERNAMA

PUTRAJAYA, 15 MAY — The subjects of Malay Language and History in the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) remain mandatory requirements for admission to public higher education institutions (IPTA), including for students who graduated from outside the national education system. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said it also applied to the […]