PASIR MAS: The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme introduced by the government has the potential to reduce the national poverty rate from 3.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this is due to TVET's potential to create a huge number of jobs for Malaysians, and its ability to boost the economy.
"We believe TVET programmes could reduce the country's poverty rate from 3.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
"This is because TVET is slated to provide more than one million jobs, especially for young people," he told press conference after the Launch Ceremony of the Madani 1.0 Youth Career and Sports Carnival here today.
"To date, there are 1,345 public and private TVET institutions operating nationwide, offering more than 4,000 courses involving 12 ministries.
"For the mid-year period this year until mid-next year, we are providing 250,000 spots for youths to join TVET.
"We urge youths to seize this opportunity. There are many choices of courses offered by institutions and others and applicants can even apply it via TVET online."
He said public confidence, especially among parents, in TVET is improving, as applications have increased by 3.75 per cent in the first six months of this year compared to the same period last year.
"This increase shows that the perception and view that TVET is for individuals who have fallen behind academically is not true. Instead, it can become the primary career pathway for youths.
He further commented that the employment rate for TVET graduates is high, reaching up to 94.5 per cent.
"This is important as it reduces the country's dependence on foreign workers,"
Zahid who is the Rural and Regional Development Minister said 450 Orang Asli in the country have joined TVET last year.
"We target only 300 Orang Asli to join TVET last year but the response was overwhelming and we get 450 Orang Asli who joined the courses."
Zahid hoped the carnival would attract more youth to join TVET.
"I would like to thank parents for supporting and allowing their children to join TVET. This programme is good for their children's future," he added.
Previously, it was reported that Zahid said that 220 Chinese companies have offered 5,125 quotas to Malaysian students to undergo TVET-related training for short, medium, and long terms, thus changing the landscape and boosting the TVET industry in Malaysia.
He said this offer is the result of a collaborative partnership between the National Association of Skilled Workers (Belia Mahir) and TVET-related industries in China, namely Beifang Automotive Education Group and Tang (M) International Education Group, through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was signed.