IPOH: Since July last year, Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) holders have been able to apply to enrol in the government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), says Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.
He said this was part of the ministry’s efforts to attract more students to join institutions offering these programmes.
Previously, only those with SPM qualification were accepted into such institutions.
Kulasegaran said the institutions welcomed not only UEC holders but just about anyone, regardless of race or religion, from Tamil or religious schools.
“Thus, we need to loosen the intake rules to get more people to take up TVET,” he told reporters after a dialogue session with the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) at the Ipoh Industrial Training Institute on TVET options for students.
Kulasegaran said his ministry was also discussing with the Education Ministry to look into the possibility of lowering the intake age to 16.
“We want students who are not so academically inclined to pursue the courses of their choice,” he said.
“Many are good with their hands, and such institutions are a prefect choice for them.”
Besides that, Kulasegaran said he had also met with orang asli village heads to get more of their children to take up TVET, some of whom were 18 years of age but possessed only Form One qualification.
He said some of them were in the process of being admitted into the technical schools nationwide.
“There are still 35% of places available. We must find ways to tap the talent we have in the country,” he said.
“TVET must no longer be a second choice but the first choice for most children as technical courses are the way forward.”
Kulasegaran also noted that 94% of trainees from such institutions were employed upon graduation.
These institutions, he said, had existed in the country for many years, with the first set up in Kuala Lumpur in 1964, yet many people were unaware of it.
“Through dialogues with NUTP and other stakeholders, we want to reach out to more students,” he said.
Source: www.nst.com.my
Date: 7th April
