DPM: TEVT no longer second choice for students

JOHOR BARU: In the era of globalisation and k-economy, Technical Education and Vocational Training (TEVT) are no longer considered to be the second choice but should be perceived as the first choice of students, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pix) today.
He said this was because the technical and vocational fields had better prospects for marketability after the students had completed their studies.
"I wish to propose and encourage students who had completed the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)/Equivalent to take the opportunity to continue their studies in the TEVT fields at the Technical Universities and three Premier Polytechnics," he said.
Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said this at the closing of the 10th National Higher Education Carnival at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Skudai here.
Muhyiddin said the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN) comprised the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn (UTHM) and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP).
He said that all universities under the MTUN umbrella offered various technical and vocational courses at the diploma and first degree levels.
The three Premier Polytechnics, he said, were the Politeknik Ungku Omar (PUO), Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (PSA) and Politeknik Ibrahim Sultan (PiS), where the entry qualification was equivalent to that for Public Institutions of Higher Learning (IPTA).
The Deputy Prime Minister believed that the move to mainstream and widen access to TEVT could increase the number and percentage of highly skilled work force in the country.
"This represents an effort of the ministry to enhance the 'high-skill high-income' among the graduates," said Muhyiddin.
Besides the Technical Universities and Polytechnics, the students also had the opportunity to continue their studies in the technical and vocational fields at the Community Colleges, Vocational Colleges and Institusi Latihan Kemahiran Awam (ILKA), he said. – Bernama
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