Requirement For Students To Take Bahasa Melayu, History Not A Final Decision For Admission To IPTA - Zambry

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- The requirement for school students from various educational streams, including those taking the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), to take the Bahasa Melayu and History subjects is not a final decision for admission to public institutions of higher learning (IPTA), said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.

He said the move applies not only to UEC students but also to those in educational streams outside the national system, including international schools, Arabic schools, and religious schools.

“The entire education ecosystem needs to be addressed first before the government can take the next step. This is very important,” he said at a press conference following the launch of the National Education Blueprint (RPN) 2026–2035 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim here today.

Zambry emphasised that the government’s approach is to ensure that policy decisions are made comprehensively, covering all streams of education rather than addressing the needs of a single group.

“We cannot solve one issue for just one community,” he said, adding that the next steps will only be announced after comprehensive consultations and engagement with stakeholders to ensure admission policies for IPTA are implemented fairly and consistently.

“We will determine the next measures, including coordination between the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Higher Education, before proceeding,” he said.

Earlier, Anwar announced that students from schools of various educational streams, including international schools, religious schools, and the UEC stream, would be required to take Bahasa Melayu and History subjects in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

In another development, Zambry said 10 polytechnics nationwide would be upgraded to offer degree-level programmes under the RPN, elevating their status from being perceived as a ‘second choice’ to one of the country’s main higher education pathways.

He noted that currently only three polytechnics—Ungku Omar Polytechnic, Ibrahim Sultan Polytechnic, and a polytechnic in Shah Alam—offer degree programmes.

Zambry added that the initiative also includes polytechnics in Sabah and Sarawak, ensuring that opportunities for degree-level technical studies are more widely available and not concentrated solely in the peninsula.

-- BERNAMA