New Era College

Call on Cabinet to recognise unified examination certificate conducted by Dong Jiao Zhong for Chinese independent secondary schools as entrance qualification for New Era College

The statement by the Deputy Education Minister, Datuk Khalid Yunus, in Parliament yesterday that the unified examination certificate conducted by Dong Jiao Zhong for Chinese independent secondary schools is not recognised as a prerequisite to enter the New Era College has come as a "shocker", for it makes the government approval of New Era College completely meaningless.

The New Era College has been set up by Dong Jiao Zhong, with the support of the Chinese community, to contribute to the training of qualified manpower in the country and to provide higher education opportunities for the students from the 60 Chinese Independent Secondary Schools.

During the 1995 general elections, UMNO leaders from the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister downwards, openly praised the contribution of Chinese Independent Secondary Schools to nation-building and training of qualified manpower.

It is only logical, therefore, that with the government�s approval for the establishment of the New Era College, it should also approve the united examination certificate conducted by Dong Jiao Zhong for Chinese independent secondary schools as entrance qualification for the New Era College.

The Ministry of Education should be aware that the unified examination certificate is recognised internationally, and is accepted as an entrance qualification for entry into many prestigious universities in foreign countries.

There can be no reason why Malaysia should not recognise the unified examination certificate when it is accorded general international recognition.

The time has come for the Government to show that its praises for the role and contribution of Chinese Independent Secondary Schools to national development were not purely to win votes during general elections, but represent the sincere views of the national leaders. The Cabinet should therefore take a policy decision to accord recognition to the unified examination certificate as an entrance qualification for New Era College and not to allow this issue to become a cause of national division and dispute.