PETALING JAYA: Students who opt out of Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) must be given a chance at tertiary education through other means and certifications, with Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) being one pathway.
Unitar International University Vice-Chancellor Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Sahol Abdul Hamid Abu Bakar, said this will help reduce or stop the nation’s brain drain problems.
“The government must regulate or compel those not interested (in sitting) for SPM or higher education to go for TVET,” he told theSun.
He noted that education is key to resolving poverty issues, and although the gig industry offers immediate financial ease, it is only temporary.
Sahol said furthering education is about creating and building skills. “Without skills, there is no future.”
He added that TVET offers professional skills certification, and with it comes career growth opportunities.
“Apprenticeship is important as it offers students work and study balance.”
However, Sahol, who is also a civil engineering professor, emphasised that the government needs to take a serious look at standardising salaries for these certifications.
“On top of salaries based on the certification level, the government must also find a solution to ensure students from Level One TVET have the means and financial help (that will) motivate and encourage them to pursue higher levels in TVET training.”
Sahol stressed that with everything the government is doing to help improve our education system, changing the medium of education in schools to English is one thing that must be emphasised.
“For example, in India, they are known to be very good with computer systems. During my time as vice-chancellor at B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology in Chennai, I realised that the students there learn in English, and the focus is on Mathematics.”
He said TVET is sufficient to further develop Malaysian industries in the next five years, if it is done right.
Sahol added that a research by Unitar on why students were not pursuing higher education after SPM revealed four main reasons.
“They feel that they will not do well in SPM, so they see no reason to further their studies. Also, they are not confident that they will be accepted; they need to support their family financially; or they live too far from a university and they need to live at home if they want to study.”
According to Sahol, there are solutions for all students at Unitar.
“We have online courses for students who want to work and study at the same time; we have zero semester or pre-university courses, where we guide students on what to expect during the course of their studies; and we counsel students (on choosing) the right course (suitable) for their plans.”
Sahol said the research also revealed that most of those who did not continue their studies were youths from B40 families in urban areas.
“We must help these youths to plan for a better future.”
