PUTRAJAYA: The government has been urged to draft an act to streamline and strengthen the country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the proposal was among the key recommendations presented during today’s retreat to mark the first anniversary of the Bumiputera Economic Congress (KEB).
He said the proposed new act would coordinate all 12 ministries involved in implementing the country’s TVET agenda, allowing it to become the new national education ecosystem.
Ahmad Zahid said the retreat also wanted to upgrade the National TVET Council to a commission that can bolster the coordination of the TVET ecosystem.
“This commission would not be a new entity requiring additional civil servants or large allocations, but would instead coordinate and optimise existing functions in a more focused manner,“ he said.
In 2021, the National TVET Council was established to enhance coordination of the country’s TVET ecosystem and drive progress in the sector, which has been elevated as a national agenda.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the KEB’s head of the Education Reform and Human Capital Cluster, Prof Tan Sri Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali, has been appointed to lead the Bumiputera Economic Data Centre and Dashboard.
He said the initiative will be placed under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy through the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (TERAJU).
When asked about the government’s efforts to ensure TVET graduates receive decent wages, Ahmad Zahid said the government remains committed to securing premium salaries of between RM3,500 and RM5,000 for TVET graduates, particularly for holders of the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Levels 3 to 5, through ongoing engagement with industry players.
“We advocate for premium salaries for TVET graduates; we do not impose on companies to pay these wages but engage with the industry to encourage them.
“We (the government) not only have memoranda of understanding but also memoranda of agreement with the industry,“ he said.
He was commenting on a study conducted by the Malaysia Labour Market Insight Series, which reported that over 65 per cent of degree holders in the country earn a monthly salary below RM3,000 — an amount considered just enough to get by, leaving little room for savings, investment, or move up the social economic ladder.
