New measures to strengthen TVET
27 Feb 2022
A single rating system will be introduced to measure the quality and standard of the country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes in public and private institutions.
The proposal submitted by the Human Resources Ministry, said Higher Education Ministry’s TVET division director Dr Shamsuri Abdullah, can improve the quality of TVET programmes in Malaysia.
“TVET programmes are offered by many providers and institutions, and as such, there is a need for us to ensure that students and parents will benefit from selecting suitable programmes.
“The suggestion was agreed upon during the TVET Council Executive Committee Meeting (MTVET) on Feb 3 but (before we proceed) there must be engagement between the Human Resources Ministry and the industry,” said Shamsuri, who is from the Higher Education Ministry’s polytechnic education and community college department.
He said the rating system would complement the newly set up TVET collaboration hubs led by the Higher Education Ministry and the Government-Industry TVET Coordination Body (GITC).
These initiatives, he added, are expected to produce graduates who meet industry requirements and that industries, too, play an important role in preparing graduates to be ready for the workforce.
“The role of GITC is to give the government policy input on skills development for the workforce, as well as advise relevant parties, such as TVET providers, on the need for skills development.
“There will be a strategic collaboration platform for the sharing of expertise, equipment and technology between TVET centres of excellence, TVET institutions, regional authorities and the industry,” he said during an interview with Bernama Radio on Feb 14.
TVET, being a skills-based industry, provides the country with an avenue to reduce unemployment, he said, adding that TVET programmes place special emphasis on hands-on and practical projects, which in turn produce skilled graduates.“Armed with these skills and the relevant industry experience, TVET graduates can also become entrepreneurs and change their lives (for the better),” he said, sharing how quality TVET programmes can help reduce unemployment and poverty rates in the country, while contributing to the nation’s growth.
On Feb 3, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the rebranding of TVET and the direct involvement of industries in TVET-related human capital development were being studied.
The move, he said, was aimed at changing public perception and luring more students to take up skilled courses with good career prospects.
He said industries have been invited to come on board GITC, which was established at the MTVET.
The meeting, he said, had also agreed to set up TVET collaboration hubs that will serve as platforms for TVET institutions, regional economic development authorities and industries to share their expertise and technologies.
A total of 12 hubs have been identified which include automotive, semiconductor, marine, air-conditioning, aerospace, robotics, rail, telecommunications, hospitality and tourism and food technology.
Under Budget 2022, the government allocated RM6.6bil to strengthen TVET through initiatives that will be implemented by various ministries and agencies.
There are 1,296 public and private TVET providers across 11 ministries and 22 state-held institutions that offer certificate and diploma programmes.
Source: The Star
