In an effort to boost the number of job placements among students, the Ministry of Education (MOE) plans to take proactive measures that will improve the quality of its vocational college programmes to ensure graduate students can find suitable jobs.

In a statement, education director-general Amin Senin said that the moves are in line with current needs, government policies and recommendations of various stakeholders including parents, teachers and the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP). Every programme offered has been accredited with the Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA) to enhance the marketability of the trainees for the future,” he added.

Under the Vocational College policy, Mr. Amin said that MOE aims to produce 70 percent of the students as skilled workers, 20 percent who would pursue their studies and 10 percent who would become entrepreneurs after graduating, Bernama reports.

Further, he said that MOE would also provide an effective academic management programme for student enrolment, effective human resource management, financial, administrative and student affairs, and continuous development of professionalism for teachers and officials.

The vocational initiative was not the first of its kind in Malaysia, according to Mr. Amin. In 2012, MOE had conducted the Vocational Education Transformation, through a diploma-level programme to provide students with skills and technology to meet workforce needs.

 “The ministry is of the view that after seven years of the introduction of the vocational college diploma programmes, it is time to prioritise the standard and quality of education in line with the goal to produce high quality trainers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Amin denied claims that some programmes had been discontinued, but said they were suspended pending review of the curriculum to meet MQA and the Skills Development Department accreditation.

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