Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob
KOTA KINABALU: The state Ministry of Education and Innovation is still in negotiation with the federal government pertaining to the extent of its powers.
Its minister Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob hoped this matter would be resolved in the near future.
He said this in response to Tambunan assemblyman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan’s question on whether the ministry was given autonomy or full power on education.
At present, Yusof said it was important for the state and federal education ministries to forge close cooperation.
Although education policies and development agenda were under the purview of the federal Education Ministry, he said the state government still held a lot of powers in education development in Sabah.
For instance, he said the state government had power to approve a new site for school building under the Lands and Surveys Department as well as the development plans by the District Council or City Hall.
On another note, Yusof said his ministry would provide vocational or skill training for unemployed graduates or school leavers.
He said the reason graduates could not find jobs was because their fields were not relevant to the industries and the lack of job opportunities in the state.
He said this in response to Kemabong assemblyman Jamawi Ja’afar’s supplementary question on the difficulty for university graduates to find jobs in Sabah and had to resort to working in West Malaysia during his winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly here yesterday.
Yusof said there were about 45,000 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) leavers in Sabah each year, but only 50 per cent pursued tertiary education.
He said students who did not quality for higher learning institutions should take up Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for them to learn an expertise and find a job, perhaps even be an entrepreneur.
Meanwhile, Yusof also vowed to assist rural students with lower academic results to obtain scholarships or to enroll in colleges.
Pitas assemblyman Datuk Bolkiah Ismail in his supplementary question suggested offering scholarships to rural students who might not be able to secure the grant based on the current meritocracy system.
Yusof said the award of scholarships based on meritocracy might not be to the advantage of rural students, who came from poor families and not being on a level playing field in terms of their learning facilities.
“In the short run, we can practise a quota system, or giving handicap to rural students.”
However, he said the system could not be permanent as it would hinder the students’ progress.