KUALA TERENGGANU – A technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institution unit will be established to coordinate student recruitment and courses offered by 1,260 TVET institutions across the country.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the unit will also ensure that there is no competition between TVET institutions, leading to the same courses being offered.
“With large allocations provided by the government, we need to ensure that there is a unit that acts to coordinate recruitment, courses, and learning sessions between institutions so that there is no overlap and competition between them.
“This will ensure more efficient administration of TVET institutions, in line with the large allocation provided by the government for the skills programme, which will definitely be able to further increase the marketability of TVET graduates," he said.
The rural and regional development minister told reporters this after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of agreement to empower the development of TVET in the Ketengah region between Kolej Ketengah Sdn Bhd, Eastern Steel Sdn Bhd, and Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur here today.
Zahid said the unit’s functions will be similar to the Central University Admission Unit, which coordinates admissions to public universities.
The deputy prime minister said that along with 12 other ministers from the ministries offering TVET programmes under their respective agencies, he will ensure the central TVET unit will be able to carry out its functions as soon as possible.
As a start, it will begin with the student recruitment session in July and August via a secretariat managed by the Human Resources Ministry.
“I am confident this move will increase the marketability of TVET graduates, currently below 90%, except for TVET graduates from UniKL who have reached 98%,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zahid said efforts taken by Kolej Ketengah to establish a strategic partnership with Eastern Steel and Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur will further strengthen the institution’s ability to produce highly skilled TVET graduates.
He said the collaboration to strengthen strategic networks with industry partners helps provide opportunities for youth, especially in the Ketengah region, to secure jobs in the fields they venture into through the place-and-train approach.
Exposure and expertise from industry partners will strengthen students’ learning and training process in the effort to produce a competitive workforce, he added. – Bernama, May 13, 2023
