Graduates must be equipped with more skills – minister
SANDAKAN: The youth in the country must be educated to face the future that is becoming more challenging, not only by preparing them with excellent skills and basic ethics, but also improving their entrepreneurship values for them to be fit enough to explore new opportunities.
Minister of Education and Innovation Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob said that with the industrial revolution now happening, the country needed to produce human resources that would be able to face the challenge of the new technology.
“That is why, graduates of Politeknik and other higher learning institutions, must be aware and prepare themselves to face more complex surrounding areas.
“Industrial revolution will surely see various new technologies that will change the norm and affect knowledge discipline, knowledge aspect and industrial sector. We cannot just sit back and watch; we must enter the fight and be the game changer,” he said when launching the seventh Politeknik Sandakan Convocation ceremony held here on Saturday.
A total of 350 graduates received their diploma certificates in various fields during the ceremony.
Also present were Deputy Head of Director of Politeknik Education Department, Dr Mohd Naim Yaakup; Director of Politeknik Sandakan, Tajul Ariffin Mohamed Arif; Deputy Director of Politeknik Sandakan, Dr Zulkefle Ismail; Head of Agrotech and Bio-industry Department, Tony Antok and Head of Tourism and Hospitality Department, Helen Lau.
Yusof, who is also Sindumin assemblyman, said that the World Economy Forum had highlighted five important skills that must be achieved in order to achieve excellence.
“Graduates from the 21st century must equip themselves with complex problem solving skill, effective leadership and teamwork skills, good written and verbal communicating skill, possess emotional intelligence, and have integrity and good moral values,” he added.