The higher education minister said the national education policy remained unchanged, with the main requirement for entry into IPTA still based on the SPM.

“Yesterday, when the government made the decision to open up access, it was not about granting recognition (to other systems). We will not change, we will not recognise other systems.

“Whichever stream you are from, whether an international school, SMPC (independent Chinese school), religious school or any institution not following the national curriculum, you must follow our system,” he said in his speech at the 2025 excellent service awards of the department of polytechnic and community college education here today.

He said the decision had been politicised, leading to debates over the national education system.

“There have been debates regarding the education system. For example, when we do this, some say we are compromising our education system,” he said.

Yesterday, the Cabinet agreed on several decisions regarding entry pathways for students from tahfiz schools or institutions, private schools and SMPC into IPTA. However, these were misrepresented by certain parties, including political groups, who claimed the government had recognised the Unified Examination Certificate.