Equip all schools with Tvet facilities — KGBS

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Ahmad Malie

SIBU: Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Union (KGBS) has suggested that all schools be equipped with technical and vocational education training (Tvet) learning facilities.

KGBS president Ahmad Malie believes this is a step in the right direction to intensify learning based on Tvet.

“In that way, learning on Tvet will be known and eventually exposed to all students in the country’s education system.

“Therefore, KGBS is always ready to give holistic view to help the government through Education Ministry (KPM) to strengthen the learning of Tvet in the country’s education system and become the first choice among students in time to come,” he added yesterday.

Ahmad was asked to comment on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s recent statement that the state-owned University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) was set up to meet the demand of Sarawak’s industrialisation programme which needs some 500,000 technical workers in the next 12 years to become an industrialised state.

Abang Johari had said this in his speech during the opening of UCTS’ inaugural Sarawak Innovation and Technology Exhibition 2018 (Saintex’18) last Thursday.

According to Abang Johari, in the past, TVET was not given much emphasis compared to the mainstream education system which focused on academic excellence. For example, only eight per cent of secondary schools in Malaysia are involved in Tvet, which is low compared to advanced countries like Germany and Switzerland, where almost 60 per cent are in Tvet. In Singapore, 75 per cent of its secondary schools are in Tvet.

On this, Ahmad said: “KGBS has stated its support since the beginning when KPM stressed on the implementation of Tvet in Malaysia’s education system.

“KGBS is always supportive of government’s efforts to focus on Tvet learning which was stressed upon by UCTS recently.

“In this regard, KGBS urged that such effort to strengthen Tvet be expedited by setting up the educational institution anywhere in our country.”