LUMUT, Feb 24 — Empowering the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme as a whole will minimise Malaysia's dependence on skilled foreign workers, especially in those fields, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir.
He said one of the approaches used is to expand the field of TVET studies to the highest level via the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN).
"Through MTUN, involving Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), we will provide a pathway for these TVET graduates," he said
Zambry was speaking to the press during the Back to School Programme 2024 at the Dewan Merdeka, Manjung Municipal Council (MPM) today.
"This means their path after finishing school is not only limited to the certificate or diploma level but can be expanded up to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) level," he said, adding the comprehensive empowerment of TVET also indirectly removes the stigma of society that sees it (TVET) as a second-class field.
Apart from this, the ministry will also emphasise increasing the number of graduates majoring in electricity and electronics, which is still decreasing even though these fields have a high job demand.
"We can only produce 5,000 engineers a year, but we actually need around 53,000 engineers (a year). This matter will be examined and emphasised to achieve the desired standard," Zambry said.
Earlier, the ministry presented donations, worth RM150,000, to students from the B40 group in the Lumut Parliamentary constituency via the programme.
— Bernama
