Chinese independent high school
 | This article needs additional citations for verification.(October 2021) |
| Chinese Independent High School | |||||||||||||||
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 Chinese Independent High School in Simplified Chinese (top) and Traditional Chinese character (below) | |||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 華文獨立中學 | ||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 华文独立中学 | ||||||||||||||
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A Chinese independent high school (simplified Chinese: 华文独立中学; traditional Chinese: 華文獨立中學; pinyin: Huáwén Dúlì Zhōngxué) is a type of privatehigh school in Malaysia. They provide secondary education in the Chinese language as the continuation of the public primary education in Chinese national-type primary schools or SJK(C). The main medium of instruction in these schools is Mandarin Chinese using simplified Chinese characters.
The United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (UCSCAM),[b] also known as the Dong Zong (董总; 董總; Dǒng Zǒng), coordinates the curriculum used in the schools and organises the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) standardised test. Despite this, the schools are independent of each other and are free to manage their own affairs.
Chinese independent high schools represent a small number of high schools in Malaysia. The number of Chinese independent high schools differed among sources, ranging from 60 to 63, due to the ambiguous status of SM Chong Hwa Kuantan and whether branch campuses count as separate schools. In 2020, UCSCAM adopted the "60+2+1" formula in describing the number of Chinese independent high schools:[1]
- 60 Chinese independent high schools originated from the aftermath of school conversions in the 1960s
- 2 branch campuses of Foon Yew High School (Kulai branch and Bandar Seri Alam branch)
- 1 private school allowed to participate in the UEC examinations (SM Chong Hwa Kuantan)
Characteristics
Students usually spend six years in a Chinese Independent High School. The six years are divided into two stages: three years in junior middle and three years in senior middle, similar to the secondary school systems in mainland China and Taiwan. Students are streamed into tracks like Science or Art/Commerce in the senior middle stage. At the end of each stage, students sit for the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC). A few schools offer an additional year in senior middle, catering to students taking the government's Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM, equivalent to A-level).
Unified Examination Certificate (UEC)
| Acronym | UEC (统考) |
|---|---|
| Type | standardised test for university admission |
| Administrator | Dong Zong Examinations Board (董总考试局) |
| Year started | 1975 |
| Score range | A to F in Junior Middle Level (Form 3), A1 to F9 in Senior Middle Level (Form 6) |
| Offered | Once a year |
| Regions | Malaysia |
| Languages | Chinese, English available for selected subjects |
| Annual number of test takers | 10472 (2023) |
| Fee | For Junior Middle Level. RM160 for Malaysian citizens and RM260 for International students. For Senior Middle Level, RM80 for Malaysian citizens and RM180 for International students. Fees of RM40 is added for every subject taken. |
| Website | uec |
The Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) (Chinese: 华文独立中学统一考试; pinyin: huá wén dú lì zhōng xué tǒng yī kǎo shì, Malay: Sijil Peperiksaan Bersama) is a standardised test for Chinese independent high school students organised by the UCSCAM since 1975.
As the UEC is not recognised by the Malaysian government, some Chinese independent high schools opt to teach the national secondary school curriculum (in Malay) alongside the independent school curriculum (in Chinese) and require students to sit for the government standardised tests (PT3, SPM or even STPM) as private school candidates, providing the students an opportunity to obtain government-recognised certificates.
In 2014, Sarawak was the first to recognise UEC, followed by Penang, Selangor, and Malacca.[2] In 2019, Sabah followed suit in recognising the examination.[2] In 2024, Sarawak further announced that students who graduate from the examination being eligible to enrol in state-owned universities under the free tertiary education scheme, which begins in 2026.[3] The following year it was reaffirmed by the region premiership.[4] In September 2025, Sabah further announce that it will recognise the UEC for state scholarship and enrolment in state-owned higher learning institutions.[5] By October 2025, an official circular recognising the examination qualification for Chinese independent secondary schools within the region was released.[6]
Medium of instruction
The main medium of instruction in Chinese independent high schools for non-language subjects is Mandarin Chinese using simplified Chinese characters. In some schools, certain subjects at the senior middle levels (the sciences, mathematics, bookkeeping, accounting and commerce) are taught using English teaching materials and exam papers for those subjects are set in English, but teachers may instruct and explain in Mandarin. For schools that prepare students to take national exams (PT3, SPM and STPM) alongside the UEC, Bahasa Malaysia teaching materials in conjunction with the national curriculum are used in preparatory classes for those exams.
See also
References
- ^"董总：以独中分校及允考统考中学区分·"60+2+1"独中新定位" [Dong Zong: Differentiating schools by branch campuses and school allowed to participate in UEC - new position for "60+1+2" independent high schools]. Sinchew.com.my (in Chinese). Sin Chew Daily. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
- ^ abUnto, Ricardo (29 September 2019). "Sabah also recognises the UEC". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 19 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^Sim, Ashley (11 July 2024). "Premier announces UEC recognition for free tertiary education scheme in State-owned universities by 2026". Dayak Daily. Archived from the original on 19 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^Masing, Karen (24 August 2025). "Premier reaffirms Sarawak's recognition of UEC". Sarawak Tribune. Archived from the original on 19 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^"Sabah govt to recognise UEC". The Borneo Post. 22 September 2025. Archived from the original on 19 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^"Sabah Government officially recognises UEC qualification". Daily Express. 18 October 2025. Archived from the original on 19 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
