KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — Governance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will be strengthened through the establishment of a dedicated TVET Commission to regulate TVET institutions and monitor strategies and initiatives under the National TVET Policy.
According to the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) document released by the Economy Ministry today, a study will also be conducted on drafting a TVET Act to improve the governance of skills-based education.
“The level of skills certification under the Malaysian Skills Certification System will be expanded through amendments to the National Skills Development Act 2006 to elevate TVET as a pathway equal to the academic route within the national higher education system.
“In addition, an institutional TVET rating system will be developed to ensure programme quality is aligned with industry needs and to facilitate optimal allocation of resources,” it stated.
The document said that TVET programmes will continue to be strengthened in line with industry requirements, and programme offerings will take into account investment based on High-Growth, High-Value (HGHV) industries as well as strategic and advanced technology sectors.
“These efforts will support talent development needs in strategic investment areas such as the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), the Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP), and the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park (KIGIP).
“Collaboration between public TVET institutions and industry will be intensified through sharing of expertise and the latest technologies, including AI, as well as curriculum development and upskilling and reskilling programmes for TVET educators,” it stated.
TVET programme offerings will be extended to tahfiz and huffaz students in order to elevate TVET as a tahfiz platform.
Meanwhile, lifelong learning (LLL) will be enhanced in preparation for an ageing nation by 2043, with LLL programmes for the third-age population to be offered through the concept of Third Age Universities.
“To optimise resource use, public facilities such as sports centres and libraries will also be used to implement LLL, including self-directed learning or peer-based learning.
“In addition, governance related to LLL will be improved to mainstream it as part of the national education system,” stated the document.
Regarding the achievements under the 12th Malaysia Plan, it noted that the graduate employment rate reached 92.5 per cent last year, while the TVET graduate employment rate stood at 95.6 per cent.
Additionally, the National TVET Council has been strengthened to act as the sole coordinator in TVET talent development in line with the aspirations of the Madani Economy.
“The National TVET Policy 2030 was introduced in 2024 as part of efforts to strengthen the TVET ecosystem and ensure that TVET institutions offer programmes that meet industry needs.
“The Malaysian Skills Integration Management System has been developed to integrate TVET data across multiple ministries, enable student applications through a single channel, and implement a unified rating system for TVET programmes,” the document concluded.
— Bernama
