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Singapore wooing UEC
holders
Press
Digest by Kong See Hoh
By Sun2Surf
PETALING JAYA (July
20, 2010): SINGAPORE has been making concerted efforts to
woo Malaysian Chinese independent school leavers in recent
years.
Among others, the island
republic waives entrance examinations and doles out scholarships,
permanent residency or even citizenship to absorb the crème la de
crème of the Malaysian Chinese education.
Malaysia, on the other hand, makes no effort to keep these
talents after having nurtured them for 12 years, resulting in a
brain drain.
A survey of Chinese independent school leavers between 2006 and
2008 showed that although Taiwan remained the number one choice for
these students to further their education, an increasing percentage
of them are heading down south.
Of the 4,000 to 5,000 students sitting the UEC (Unified
Examination Certificate) examination every year, the number of
those furthering their education in Singapore has increase from
5.59% in 2006 to 8.40% in 2007 and 9.96% in 2008.
Apart from the attractive offers from the Singaporean
government, the proximity of the republic, the similarities of its
culture, languages, lifestyle and racial make-up with those of
Malaysia’s are pull factors that make Singapore a top overseas
destination for tertiary education, second only to Taiwan, for
these students.
Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association) deputy
president Chow Siew Hong told Oriental Daily News in an interview
today that apart from being exempted from their entrance
examinations and offered scholarships, Malaysians who
graduate with flying colours can gain PR status or even citizenship
within a short time in Singapore.
Chow said these offers are much better than those given by
Taiwan and China.
He said it is not that Dong Zong is encouraging these students
to look beyond our shores, "but our students are receiving the kind
of positive treatment in Singapore they cannot find back home".
Chow said
National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technology University
rank among world-class higher learning institutions, and Chinese
independent school students, like any other student, yearn to be
admitted to such institutions.
He disclosed
apart from getting the list of top UEC holders from Dong Zong,
Singaporean universities are also approaching individual schools to
recruit top students.
"Now the entry qualifications (specified by Singaporean
universities) are ‘UEC or its equivalent’, compared with ‘STPM or
its equivalent’ in the past," he said.
UEC, the examination set by Dong Jiao Zong for students
completing six years of schooling in Chinese independent schools,
is also accepted by many universities overseas. Malaysia does not
recognise it.
According to Dong Zong statistics, 47.18% of the UEC holders who
left for studies overseas in 2008 went to Taiwan, followed by
Singapore with 26.50% and Europe, 11.15%.