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KLANG: VOCATIONAL colleges have become increasingly popular, with high numbers of applications for every intake.

The four-year programme offered by vocational colleges consists of a two-year pre-diploma course, followed by a two-year diploma course.

“It is a fast-track programme for students after their Penilaian Menengah Rendah, where they will obtain their Malaysian Vocational Diploma (DVM),” said Klang Vocational College director, Fuzyah Abdullah.

The Klang Vocational College, previously known as Sekolah Menengah Vokasional Klang, the first vocational school in Selangor, has 770 students with a teaching staff of 120.

Under the Education Ministry’s vocational education transformation programme, 78 schools were upgraded to college status, enabling its students to obtain a diploma at the age of 20.

“With the transformation, we aim to change the perception of parents and students towards vocational education, and to elevate it to a higher platform.

“Vocational education produces marketable students who have the hands-on skills to enter the workforce, or even start their own business,” she added.

Way to go: Muhyiddin trying out a solar-powered car created by students from Kolej Vokasional Arau in Perlis as student Azruk Abdul Rahim, 17, looks on. – Bernama

VOCATIONAL and technical education has proven to be increasingly popular among students as it saves time and money.

Those who opt to enter a vocational college after sitting for the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) will receive their diplomas after just four years of studies, as opposed to the common pathway which is to sit for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).

Students pursuing vocational and technical education which is based on the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia curriculum will be exposed to practical components to strenghten their knowledge and skills that will enhance their career prospects.

Just ask vocational student, S. Lakxessnah, 16, who said taking up the vocational school pathway was a wise decision.

The database management system student saw it as a “fast-track” to acquire tertiary qualifications.

“Instead of taking the conventional pathway (which is to sit for SPM), I will get my diploma when I am 19. It is not for weak students but for people like me who already have a clear idea on what we want to do with our future,” said the Kolej Vokasional Perdagangan Johor Baru student.

by Tan Ee Loo.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2013/4/21/education/12969629&sec=education

PUTRAJAYA: More than 90,000 students are expected to enrol in vocational colleges by 2020 under the Education Ministry’s vocational education transformation programme.

The ministry’s technical and vocational education division director, Ahmad Tajudin Jab said the students would be moulded to become highly-skilled workers in a higher institution environment.

He said the goal is to create workers that are competent and work-ready, and prepare them to face the challenges of the working world.

“It is not like a school, where we produce students. The college is aimed to create a capable workforce for the country,” he said.

Tajudin said the transformation programme is part of the National Education Blueprint 2012 and the 10th Malaysia Plan, which emphasised increasing the number of proficient human resources.

He said the National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) will result in nearly one million jobs requiring vocational certificates or diplomas over the next ten years, creating a huge market for students who choose to study in the vocational colleges.

The colleges, which were previously vocational schools, offer the students a chance to experience work in the different industries.

Tajudin said this is done through a number of memoranda of understanding that was established between the colleges and various companies or organisations like the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers.

“The companies can provide, among other things, apprenticeship or on-the-job training for the students while the students themselves can find ways to contribute to the company. We are expecting more than 100 more MoUs this year,” he said.

He said they expected 70 per cent of their students to start working upon graduation, 20 per cent to further their studies, while ten per cent would start their own businesses and become entrepreneurs.

by Aisyah Sulaiman.

Read more @ http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/shaping-skilled-and-work-ready-students-1.255000

KOTA KINABALU: Institut Skill-Tech (IST) has expressed disappointment with the RM100 million cut to the RM430 million allocation for the Skill Loan Fund Corporation (PTPTK) as announced in the last Budget.

Its executive chairman Nordin Abdul Malek said the institution is facing “a challenging period” as the move has affected payments for new trainees.

“We have some 4,000 applicants waiting to be enroled,” he said adding that some of the trainees were also not paid or were facing red tape to get the funding.

He hoped that the Prime Minister would address the matter as it involved skill training and education for youths.

According to him, the shortcoming might have been an oversight but the matter should be resolved soon.

Speaking to reporters after the institute convocation here yesterday, he said IST spent a lot every year on youths on training as many came from poor families.

Nordin also pointed out that the funding for higher education loans (PTPTN) could reach RM5 billion but overlooked by the government in the funding for skill training of youths.

He also said that IST students did not get to enjoy assistances dished out by the government for students and undergrads like the RM250 book voucher.

“Despite all these shortfalls, we hope they will be addressed for the good of our youth skill training,” he said.

He said that the trainees in Sabah were good learners and an encouraging lot, who could find jobs in various sectors.

Read more @ http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/65952

KUALA LUMPUR: — People have the perception that students in vocational schools are academically inferior compared to students in other secondary schools.

Many believe that vocational schools only focus on hands-on skills whereas regular secondary schools pave the path for tertiary education in universities.

However, the government’s move to transform vocational schools into vocational colleges is seen as an attempt to elevate the status of the students in vocational schools.

Certificate-level courses at vocational schools will be replaced by diploma-level courses in vocational colleges.

Kolej Ekonomi Rumah Tangga (ERT) in Setapak is one of the 14 vocational schools nationwide that has been picked for the pilot project where vocational secondary schools will be transformed into vocational colleges.

From School to College:

ERT Setapak Director, Norhana Mustapha believes that being in vocational schools is not a piece of cake for students.

A paradigm shift is needed to discard the stigma that hovers over vocational schools. People have the perception that vocational schools are only for those who are not good in academics. This perception has to change.

“The mindset of the people has to change and facilities and courses in vocational colleges have to be on par with other colleges,” Norhana informs Bernama.

However, changing the perception of the public is not an easy task.

Norhana admits that a change in perception can only happen over a period of time. People’s mindset will only change when vocational colleges produce brilliant students.

“Our mission is to ensure Kolej ERT Setapak is on par with other colleges in the country,” she says.

Kolej ERT Setapak offers hospitality courses including culinary skills and fashion design where every student is required to complete four years of education before he/she can obtain a diploma in the respective field.

“We hope that through this transformation, 70 per cent of the graduates will be able to find employment, 20 per cent of the graduates can go for further studies and 10 per cent of the students will be able to start their own business,” says Norhanah.

From next year, Kolej ERT Setapak will offer two more courses. They are child care and computer networking and 250 students can get admitted into these courses.

Vocational School:

The Setapak vocational school was set up in 1975 to provide skills training for students who were not strong in academics.

Even if students are not able to perform well in academics, there is no reason for them to feel inferior, says Norhana.

“Parents should understand that not every child is good in academics. If a kid is not good in academics, he may be good in something else. If a child pursues vocational studies, it does not mean that he/she is not exposed to the typical academic subjects,” she explains.

There are six academic subjects in the vocational college which students are required to take and pass. They are Bahasa Melayu, Mathematics, Science, Religion, English and History.

“Even if they have exceptional skills but fail to pass their core subjects, they will not be able to get their diploma,” she says.

by Kurniawati Kamarudin.

BERNAMA.

Read more @ http://education.bernama.com/index.php?sid=news_content&id=709108

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The government will widely introduce vocational and skills training to Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) leavers who achieved less academically.

Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the students would be given the chance to undergo vocational and skills training at the Industrial Training Institutes to obtain the Level 3 Skills Certificate in addition to their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) qualification.

“Starting next year, the Education Ministry will expose such school students to skills, not just at the surface level but more in-depth so that upon completing their SPM they will also have a Level 3 certificate. Then they can pursue a diploma or advanced diploma course.

“We want to ensure they get out of the school system, as a big percentage of students have skills which can be used to obtain employment or to improve themselves,” he told reporters after officiating at the Japan-Malaysia Technical Institute’s (JMTi) 15th anniversary celebration, here, yesterday.

Dr Subramaniam said this move would help the government achieve its target of producing 1.5 million skilled workers by 2020.

He said the country had about 100,000 skilled workers so far and needed at least 300,000 per year to meet the goal.

Read more @ http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/62847

KAJANG: Secondary school students in selected institutions can sign up for the National Dual Training System (SLDN) after their Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR).

“The enrolment of students in the programme is expected to reach 15,000 by next year,” said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at SM Vokasional Kajang yesterday.

Previously, secondary school students who were interested in vocational training would have to wait until after their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).

Muhyiddin added that the programme comprised a 70% practical component with host companies and 30% training at the educational institutions.

Currently, it is only available at three vocational institutions located here, in Sungai Buloh and Batu Pahat.

The programme will be extended to all 79 vocational colleges in stages by next year.

The SLDN, which is a collaborative programme with the Human Resources Ministry, will see courses offered in up to 53 fields.

“I believe SLDN will become a preferred choice in the future, with more multinational companies and industries taking part,” said Muhyiddin after the launch of the programme and the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Human Resources Ministry.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/3/nation/12118231&sec=nation

MELAKA: — The Education Ministry targets having 90,000 students obtaining the Malaysia Vocational Diploma (MVD) qualification at vocational colleges nationwide by 2020, said its deputy minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

He said the target could be achieved via various transformation programmes under the Vocational Education Programme that involved the upgrading of 79 vocational high schools nationwide to vocational colleges by next year.

He said 15 vocational high schools had been upgraded to college level, whereby the students were undergoing their second semester.

“This year the ministry targets to have 3,500 students pursuing the MVD, in tourism, agriculture and aviation,” he told reporters after closing a conference on vocational education here today.

He added that seven new vocational colleges would also be formed under the 10th Malaysia Plan to produce more highly skilled workers.

BERNAMA.

Read more @ http://education.bernama.com/index.php?sid=news_content&id=694556

IMBALANCE: Better vocational programmes to narrow gender gap.

GENDER imbalance in school if left unchecked, runs the risk of creating a community of educationally-marginalised young Malaysian men. To to control this worrying trend, the ministry has embarked on a mission to implement better vocational programmes from 2016.

Other measures included greater parental involvement, enrolment drives and enhanced practicum in vocational programmes via greater private sector collaboration.

Currently, the ministry, in its Malaysia Education Blueprint preliminary report, revealed that as the schooling years progressed, the number of male students had dipped below the balanced ratio of students.

The ratio was still fairly balanced during primary school years, but the ratio steadily declined during secondary school years.

It was a similar situation on enrolment in lower tertiary institutions as last year, there were 56 per cent of female students learning in universities, polytechnics and community colleges nationwide.

After conducting interviews with parents, teachers and principals from various schools, it was suggested that some boys struggled with the mainstream academic curriculum.

Also, it was suggested that male students could probably benefit from greater access to vocational training or more applied coursework.

However, the limited number of places in vocational and technical schools prevents this from occurring.

Another reason was the fact that boys from lower income groups were more likely to drop out from school to start work early in order to help support their families.

Hence, the ministry will emphasise on compulsory schooling years, namely to the end of Form Five and parent participation through toolkits that provided them with methods on supporting their children’s education.

Additionally, the ministry will also roll-out two new vocational educational reforms which were basic vocational studies for lower secondary students and the transformation of vocational schools into vocational colleges.

Read more @ http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/tackling-problem-of-lost-boys-in-education-system-1.142972