RIOT REFUTES REPORTS ON ‘PROBLEMATIC’ TVET
Council to determine policies, implementation of TVET Malaysia
THE Human Resources Ministry will spearhead the implementation of the Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET) programme.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem, said the TVET council, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, would act as the highest authority in determining the policies, implementation and coordination of TVET Malaysia.
He said this was decided at the ministerial-level TVET Malaysia Coordination Committee Meeting on Jan 16, which was attended by industry representatives.
“We also agreed to implement TVET Malaysia in a more coordinated way, headed by the Human Resources Ministry,” he said yesterday.
Prior to this, TVET Malaysia was handled by seven ministries and related agencies. These included the Human Resources, Higher Education, Education, Youth and Sports, Rural and Regional Development, Works, and Agriculture and Agro-based ministries.
Beginning last year, several issues regarding TVET have surfaced, including issues with accreditation, loan allocations and the failure to properly commission schools that run the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia programme.
Riot said the allocation of RM4.9 billion through the 2018 Budget proved the government’s commitment to the implementation of TVET, to be used by the seven ministries.
“The Human Resources Ministry is increasing efforts to identify issues and problems, implement programmes and initiatives, and set goals in terms of direction through the collaboration among the seven ministries,” said Riot.
“This is to ensure the implementation of TVET Malaysia is in line with the domestic and international economic landscape, technological development and requirement under the Industrial Revolution 4.0.”
He said the meeting had also determined the need to increase skilled labour from 28 per cent in 2015 to 35 per cent by 2020, and the need to increase the quantity and quality of TVET qualified workers to 225,000 in 2020, from 164,000 five years earlier.