COOKERY SKILL: Students in chef uniforms preparing food under the supervision of a teacher.
THE introduction of the Vocational Transformation Programme which will be incorporated into the secondary school education system next year and fully implemented by 2013 nationwide, is most timely.
In fact, it’s a long overdue plan, urgently needed to improve and diversify Malaysia’s conventional education system to deal with high-tech industries, a competitive economy and a rapidly changing society.
However, vocational education is not necessarily favoured by all. It has been viewed as ‘second class’ or only for poor students who cannot cope with the traditional school setting.
This perception is largely due the mainstream education system being attuned to scholastic education. The minds of both students and parents are fixated on scholastic attainments. Formal education is, thus, preferred.
New challenges have begun to emerge while old ones have remerged to combine both formal and vocational-technical education in transforming education into a cutting edge that will benefit students and society.
It’s time to give this the recognition it deserves because it sets the requisite foundation for securing employment and a better future.
Pushing for transformation
Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department, Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, told thesundaypost vocational education is the foundation of education in developed countries like Germany and Austria.
She said there were between 60 and 70 per cent of students enrolling in vocational schools in these countries compared to Malaysia which would only achieve 20 per cent by 2015.
“Even Indonesia and Thailand recorded at least 40 to 60 per cent. As such, it’s time more emphasis is put on vocational and technical education in Malaysia.”
Fatimah is excited over the announcement of the transformation programme, saying it would provide an alternative to the existing education system and also help the government achieve its visions and missions under the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA).
“The transformation is in line with the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) where 1.5 million jobs will be made available, of which 435,210 are of technical and semi-professional base.
“The government is targetting to produce 48 per cent of skilled workforce to achieve a high income nation by 2020. Vocational education is very much needed to overhaul the education system to meet the transformation plan outlined in the 10th Malaysia Plan.”
Looking at the statistics in the Southeast Asian region, the skilled workforce in Malaysia only makes up 25 per cent of the population compared to Taiwan (30 per cent), South Korea (36 per cent) and Singapore (49 per cent).
“To overcome the shortage of skilled and semi-skilled workers in our country, it’s extremely important we expand vocational and technical education to meet the needs of every sector of industry,” Fatimah said.
Mainstream education
The current Malaysian education system puts too much focus on attaining academic excellence — if possible 100 per cent passes and straight A’s — in preparing students for university.
No doubt, formal education is important to create knowledege- based people but as we are now in the 21st century, we can expect to see a big shift towards innovation, creativity and speciality in most professions.
Highly-skilled specialists are in demand to maintain our lead in high-tech industries which will offer more jobs with heavy reliance on educated and skilled workers.
Ideally, vocational and technical education provides not only more choices to students but also allows them to explore their interests as well as develop their skills and talents.
Fatimah said there were students poor in classroom and theory-based learning but would perform better with a hands-on learning approach, adding that they would take off on a sound footing in vocational education.
These students will be a step ahead of those in the mainstream because they are graduating with a college-level education, equipped with the skills and knowledge to be part of the workforce.
In addition, starting early also gives them the upper hand in the rat race — unlike the traditional education system where school leavers only pick up skills and in-depth knowledge in college or university.
Issues and concerns
Other than a comprehensive curriculum, several important aspects must be looked into, considering vocational education and training in schools will definitely be costlier to set up and maintain than general education.
If Malaysia intends to run vocational education and training in schools by 2013, there must be sufficient funds to put the whole system in place, including the provision of tools, equipment, facilities, laboratories and resources in both urban and rural schools. Here strong financial support is very much needed to ensure sustainability.
Another problem is manpower. There is a need to ensure reasonably trained manpower to maintain the quality of teaching and training.
Vocational education requires teachers with specific skills to impart specialised and practical knowledge to students and at the same time, guide and mentor them.
Besides, partnerships and linkages are also important to enhance the vocational education programme. Students need practical working skills and training to perform better in their jobs.
As such, the government must ensure schools and the community work together to build a bridge for students in the real world.
The government must also ensure the public and private sectors as well as organisations and businesses provide internships or part-time jobs, or other work experiences for students. After all, poor investments cannot yield attractive returns. So there must be adequate funding for vocational and technical education.
The initial plan
The vocational transformation programme will be introduced as a pilot project in 15 secondary schools nationwide. SMK Belaga in Sarawak has been chosen as one of the pioneer schools with a total of 30 students to start their courses in electrical wiring next year.
Students from SK Abun Matu, SK Ulu Kakus, SK Nanga Telawan and SK Punan Bah (SMK Belaga feeder schools) will be given the first opportunity to take up the course when they enter Form One in 2012.
In Form One, students will be taught the basics of vocational education. When they proceed to Forms Two and Three, they will be allowed to choose one of the programmes offered.
SM Vocational in Kuching will also be upgraded to a college.
The syllabus
The transformation of vocational education involves two aspects — Vocational Foundation Programme (VFP) and Vocational College (VC).
VFP will be available from Forms One to Three, replacing the vocational subjects, currently taught in Forms Four and Five. Students completing vocational education and training in school programmes have the opportunity to complete their junior high school education with Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM) Level I and II in accordance with National Occupational Skills Standard (NOSS) which is recognised by industry.
This will prepare them for jobs in specialised fields or they can further their vocational training or pursue higher studies in university.
VFP consists of four components covering self-development, technology, skills and enterpreneurship.
Subjects for self-development include enhancing communication skills in English and Bahasa Malaysia, instilling patriotism and morality through history and moral/Islam education as well as lifestyle awareness in health and sports education and co-curriculum.
Technology will be taught through science, maths and information technology and communication.
Skills subjects are divided into basic and specialised, and offered in technical, agriculture, household, arts and culture, crafts work and commerce. Enterpreneurship is taught across the curriculum where values are intergrated in all subjects.
Students choosing to further their training after Form Three can pursue their studies in VC which offers three streams — technique, vocational and skills.
There are four domains to the VC curriculum — academic module, VC cluster programme, on-job training and authentic assessment as well as school enterprise.
To enrol in the technical stream in VC, students must have strong background in maths and science to be assessed based on their PMR results. The areas offered include achitectural drafts, achitecture, mechanical, electrical and electronic, commerce and business, accounting and agrotechnology.
The vocational stream focuses on skilled and semi-skilled professions in industry as well as the commercial and agricultural sectors. Subjects offered include mechanical technology engineering and building, home economy, commerce, agrotechnology, business management and hospitality.
Those unable to enter the technical and vocational streams can opt for the skills stream which offers training conducted by the Skills Development Department under the Human Resource Ministry. Students will also be placed on internship in factories or industry-related fields for three months.
How to enrol?
Primary six students of Malaysian nationality, born in 1999, who have sat for the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) or the mock exams in 2011 with at least grades D and E, can apply.
Applicants will also have to sit for a psychometric evaluation test to determine if they are qualified. The application for feeder schools will be opened from Sept 5 to Nov 2, 2011. Successful applicants will receive an offer letter on Dec 1, 2011. They can register on Jan 3, 2012. Appeals can be made in school from Jan 3 to 15, 2012.