PUTRAJAYA: The government has agreed to amend the National Skills Development Act to further strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the country.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim (pic) said through the amendment, the ministry aims to elevate the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) to a level equivalent to a degree or even a doctorate (PhD).
He said introducing new and higher levels in SKM is necessary, as the certificate currently only comprises levels one to five, equivalent to an advanced diploma.
“I will table the amendment to this Act in Parliament and I urge all MPs to support it,” he said, explaining that he wanted to have levels six, seven and eight so that TVET education can be considered on par with a PhD.
Sim, who launched the P10X Academy Sdn Bhd here yesterday, said the public must change their perception of TVET institutions, as they offer vast opportunities for youth to acquire knowledge and new skills.
“We want to draw parents’ attention to TVET ... We also want to cultivate the mindset that not everyone needs to go to university, as we also have TVET institutions for further studies,” he said, Bernama reported.
Meanwhile, Sim said the integrated UP_TVET system has received 140,000 applications for admission to TVET institutions so far.
