SHAH ALAM, June 20 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today announced the implementation of a scholarship programme dubbed Dermasiswa B40 TVET specifically for B40 students pursuing studies in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) at public higher learning institutions under the Higher Education Ministry this year.

Ismail Sabri said this was to motivate and encourage more students to pursue their tertiary studies in TVET, adding that the first intake of the programme would involve 1,000 students.

"The government projects that each intake of the programme will involve a financial implication of RM36.41 million,” he said when officiating at the National TVET Week 2022 here today.

As such, he was confident that the programme would provide more opportunities for Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) children, especially from the B40 household, to gain access to education at a higher level and build their own careers in the TVET field.

He said TVET has been identified as one of the 14 game changers in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) as it was time for TVET to be the main choice of youths in preparing themselves for the future, like in other developed countries.

Also present were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad, Senior Education Minister Datuk Radzi Jidin, Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

At the ceremony, the prime minister also announced that the National TVET Day would be celebrated on June 2 every year to recognise the contributions of many quarters to TVET.

"It is also in conjunction with the establishment of Politeknik Ungku Omar, which is the country’s earliest institution to provide TVET education since 1969,” he said.

Ismail Sabri said apart from the declaration of the National TVET Day, the organising of the National TVET Week Celebration was also one of the measures outlined in the National TVET Branding Plan.

He said the government’s concern for TVET was proven through the provision of high funding, in which 80 per cent of public TVET providers offered programmes for free, and a total of 171,412 TVET programmes at the diploma and bachelor’s degree levels were offered from 2019 to 2021.

The prime minister said although public awareness of the lucrative income offered to those who work in the TVET sector had increased, it had yet to achieve the target set.

He said, therefore, there must be a paradigm shift to create a more positive perception towards TVET with the support of parents, youths and the industry.

"There are many social media platforms that can be optimally utilised to promote TVET, including showcasing the success of TVET graduates and alumni, thus making it a career of choice,” he said.

At the same time, Ismail Sabri also called on the industry to be a strategic partner by promoting TVET to Keluarga Malaysia, highlighting career opportunities and allowing students to conduct field visits.

"I believe that this could increase people participation, thus making TVET the main catalyst in producing highly skilled local workforce like in developed countries,” he said. — Bernama