KGBS urges govt to further enhance TVET’s curriculum
SIBU: Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Union ( KGBS) urges the government to further strengthen the technical and vocational education and training’s (TVET) curriculum.
KGBS president Ahmad Malie said it was important to incorporate those curriculum which could further enhance the spirit of TVET manpower for them to pursue their own career apart from going for white collar careers.
“This matter still lacks emphasis in the TVET curriculum and in fact, if the emphasis can be formally done, it will go a long way to create awareness among those with TVET qualifications to carve out their own career which is more beneficial than the white collar career,” he told The Borneo Post when contacted recently.
Ahmad was commenting on Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot’s recent statement that the government had declared 2017 as TVET year in an effort to achieve a high-income developed nation by 2020.
Riot reportedly said the initiative was also in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s 2017 Budget speech that TVET capacities would be enhanced under the budget.
According to Riot, although the issue was not officially announced before this, if looking at Najib’s speech in the 2017 Budget, the word TVET was emphasised.
This meant that with the emphasis, the word TVET would directly and indirectly become pivotal for the government’s efforts to produce more skilled human capital.
Riot was reported to have said this at a press conference after handing over accreditation to Proton Holdings Bhd as a onestop centre for the National Dual Training System ( SLDN) programme at the Proton Excellence Centre in Shah Alam recently.
In his 2017 Budget speech, Najib had reportedly said TVET education capacity would be enhanced with an allocation of RM4.6 billion to TVET institutions.
On this Ahmad, said in principle, KGBS fully supported the government’s efforts to declare 2017 as TVET year in an effort to achieve a high income developed nation come 2020 as announced by Riot.
However, KGBS also urged the government to make accurate projections so that the production of manpower later on would not exceed the country’s requirement to the extent of giving rise to unemployment among the people.
In this respect, Ahmad who is also Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Service (Cuepacs) Sarawak president, further called for the skilled manpower to be produced according to both local and global market demands.
“In doing so, it will open up the eyes of the manpower produced by the country that they too are capable in competing in the global arena,” he added.