Muhyiddin (centre), accompanied by Musa, arrives to a rousing welcome at Sandakan Vocational College. He is in Sabah for a two-day working visit. — Bernama photo
SANDAKAN: The government’s move to upgrade vocational schools to college status has struck the right chord in luring students to pick the vocational field as first choice.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said 126,000 students had applied to enter vocational colleges after he had launched the vocational transformation programme about two years ago.
“As such, I have alerted Tajuddin (Technical and Vocational Education Division director Datuk Ahmad Tajuddin Jab) when launching the vocational transformation programme at that time that more would come forward to apply.
“My assumption was correct when I was told 126,000 applied to join vocational colleges, not only as second choice, but also as first choice,” he said in his speech during a visit to the Sandakan Vocational College yesterday.
Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, said the upgrading move was one way for the government to boost the standard of living of the people and country by providing more technical-vocational opportunities.
He said it could boost the interest of students to take part in the vocational field as first choice, compared to previously, when it was second choice.
He said the vocational field had a good prospect to meet the need for trained manpower which was increasing due to the economy’s expansion.
All sectors of the economy needed many trained manpower, and this also applied in the private sector, noted Muhyiddin.
The deputy prime minister said the capacity of students in vocational colleges was currently limited to meet the increasing demand.
“I have looked at it more closely, and the matter has been discussed in the Cabinet. The prime minister gave strong support to increase the capacity of students at vocational colleges,” he added.
Muhyiddin said the education ministry would also provide additional allocations to build more vocational colleges in the country.
During the visit, he also announced the construction of a new building for the vocational college at the Sandakan Education Hub.
According to Muhyiddin, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, on behalf of the state government, had agreed to the cost of the new building of the Sandakan vocational college at RM60 million. — Bernama