Transform vocational studies: DPM
Written by New Straits Times Thursday, 12 May 2011 07:44
MALAYSIA wants to tie up with educational institutions in Europe to facilitate the exchange of vocational school students and teachers.
This will help make vocational studies a more sought after option among students and create awareness that it is as important, if not more so, than conventional education streams in producing skilled workers.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the prevailing mindset that vocational subjects were only for the academically weak must be changed.
"In Malaysia, it is often perceived as a last resort option, something students turn to only when there are no other alternative. That is not the right way to look at it.
"In developed countries, vocational studies is viewed as being as important as academic fields. France, for example, recognises the prospects offered by vocational education. It has set a target and wants 60 per cent of its student population to be enrolled in vocational courses.
"Currently, only 10 per cent of our student population has done so. We hope this will increase to 20 per cent in the next five years. But even then, we are far behind other countries in Asean. Indonesia, for instance, has 40 per cent, while Thailand and Singapore have more than 40 per cent," Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, told reporters before presenting a keynote address at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Conference of Ministers of Education.
Many other measures have and will be taken to transform the vocational and technical education system in the country, said the deputy prime minister.
"Vocational schools will be renamed vocational colleges once the Education Act is amended. This way, we hope to create a clearer career path for vocational school students as their qualifications will then be equivalent to a diploma or advanced diploma."
Closer attention will also be paid to students. "We hope to identify those who are not academically inclined as early as possible and stream them into vocational schools or encourage them to take up vocational subjects in secondary schools," he said.
It had been reported earlier that the secondary school syllabus is being revamped with vocational studies being added as a new stream.
This means Form Four students will have three streams — science, arts and vocational.
They will also be exposed to vocational studies from Form One. The Education Ministry is in the process of including vocational subjects in the syllabus.
All these moves are estimated to make vocational studies more respectable and in turn, reduce school dropout rates and increase the skills and earning power of those who do not lean towards academics.
"This is a major exercise we are undertaking. We not only need private sector support but would encourage them to set up vocational institutes. On our part, we will build more schools."
To a question whether Bahasa Malaysia should be given precedence and used during all international events and functions in Malaysia, Muhyiddin said it was possible.
"Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, for example, speaks in Bahasa Indonesia when making his policy speeches."
