Is UiTM a substandard university?

It's been such a long time since I wrote in my blog. A really long time. So much had happened during those months. And now the urge to write is finally here. You can call a writer's block for not writing all those months hehehe. A writer konon.

Yesterday my youngest daughter graduated with flying colors from a very controversial university, UiTM here in Malaysia. Why controversial? This university only opens its door to Bumiputera, so other races are not permitted to study here. The medium of education is English. If you are a Bumiputera with mediocre exams results, you can apply to study here and normally you will be granted a place. But will you graduate? That is another story. No university will let you pass its door if your results are hopeless.

Sarah is the only one of my children who study in a public university. I have no choice since she was adamant to study in the course of her choice. She rather not pursuing her study in matriculation since there's no guarantee that she will get to study in her field of choice. So she applied for a diploma course. She studied so hard, got herself good results that the university offered her a fastrack to study in degree programme without finishing her diploma. She did very well in her degree and yesterday she was conferred a first class degree with the Vice Chancellor Award to add sweetness to her success.

But that's not the reason why I wrote. UiTM has been the butt of jokes for the non Bumiputera by saying that it is a substandard university. If it is so substandard why the non Bumiputera are trying so hard for UiTM to open its door to the rest? Why UiTM has so many accreditions from international bodies? Why the graduates from UiTM can enter universities in the UK without sitting for IELTS and Toefl exams? And certain universities in the US even offer places without taking GRE exams. I know this for the fact that Sarah is being offered to study for her Masters degree overseas.

To say UiTM is substandard is very unfair. There are students who were kicked out if they do not meet the standard. UiTM is trying to help bumiputeras but the students must help themselves in order to graduate. To say the graduates are unemployable...why Sarah's friends are working now with multinational companies like British Petrol, Hwang DBS Investment, Prudential etc. Sarah was even offered a job before she graduated but she turned down the offer since she wants to further her studies.

The non Bumiputeras have other universities for them to study...UTAR, TARC, MMU, UNITEN etc. the choice is there...why and why they are so confrontational where UiTM is concerned? Why the jealousy? Why all the bad mouth? I can't think of any reasons except that UiTM has done their part in developing the Bumiputeras, the UiTM is a story of success..And the non Bumiputeras are not happy about it. They can't stand to see more and more Bumiputeras are successful in their studies. Why can't they just be happy for us?

They know the products of UiTM...otherwise they wouldn't even field an UiTM graduate as a candidate for the by election. A candidate who graduated with a law degree..I am sure there are other candidates from other universities who are so much 'superior' than UiTM but where are they now?