Negri Sembilan's vision to make bandar Enstek a 'valley of knowledge' becomes a reality

SEREMBAN: Bandar Enstek in Nilai has been chosen to be developed as the Valley of Knowledge due to its strategic proximity to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Salak Tinggi, Sepang and Sendayan as well as good road access, among other factors.
The Valley of Knowledge is developed to strike a balance between physical development and human capital besides being the aspiration of the state government led by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to empower the education sector to produce more talents in Negri Sembilan.
The 2,070-hectare Bandar Enstek, which was formerly an oil palm and rubber plantation, was first developed in 2002 while its location near Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and KLIA2 near Selangor, Putrajaya and Klang Valley makes it an easy-to-access town.
The intention of the state government to transform Negri Sembilan as the Valley of Knowledge was not merely a pledge as it also received the support of various parties, especially the Education Ministry and Higher Education Ministry.
This is evident by the number of educational institutions being set up here, including Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Enstek, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bandar Enstek, Kolej Tunku Kursiah elite school, Nilai Polytechnic and EPSOM College.

There are also many institutions established to train and produce leaders as well as human capital at the higher education and tertiary levels such as the Institute of Teacher Education Technical Education Campus, the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT), Aminuddin Baki Institute and English Language Training Centre (ELTC),
Others are the Institute of Leadership and Development (ILD) Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Fire Research Centre (PUSPEK) of the Fire and Rescue Department Malaysia.
ILD assistant vice chancellor Prof Dr Azni Zain Ahmad said the estabishment of the 12-hectare ILD in the education hub in Bandar Enstek was very appropriate as it is surrounded by educational institutions that had the same objective of producing knowledgeable individuals and high performance leaders.
She said being in a state that is administered by a visionary leader who viewed the education sector as a vital catalyst of human capital development, enabled the institutions in Bandar Enstek, including ILD to contribute to the state's progress.
"In fact outsiders are more inclined to undergo courses or training here as it is easily accessible," she said to Bernama recently.

Meanwhile Nilai Polytechnic director Mohamad Amin Hamat said the setting up of various educational institutions here was a focused planning as it applied the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS), thus giving its implementation an edge via various collaborations.
"I think this is a good strategy and benefits all parties, especially in terms of facility sharing," he said, adding that the state government's seriousness in turning Negri Sembilan into the Valley of Knowledge had been translated into tangible assets and not merely empty promises.
In the 13th general election, the education sector is one of the pledges contained in the Negri Sembilan Barisan Nasional manifesto that was to see the state become the Valley of Knowledge through excellence in education and provision of incentives to the people to pursue higher tertiary education. — Bernama