KUALA LANGAT, June 8 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim this morning approved an additional RM200 million in funding for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) , as his government seeks to boost the number of technically-skilled workers amid its push to turn Malaysia into a technological powerhouse.

The allocation, announced at the launch of the National TVET week here, will make the total budget for vocational training programmes close to RM8 billion. TVET has been identified as one of key areas of focus in education policy by the Anwar-led government.

In the first year of his premiership, Anwar launched several large-scale blueprints to spur the country's tech-based industries, including its semiconductor sector.

"We want (to focus) for example on sectors like electrical vehicles, cyber security, artificial intelligence, advanced materials, electrical technology, agricultural mechanisation, and automating farming," Anwar said at the launching event flanked by most of his Cabinet members, including Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Zahid, one of Anwar's two deputies, is the head of the national TVET development policy. Anwar said Zahid has done a "tremendous job" as he approved the additional funding.

Under Budget 2024, Anwar as finance minister allocated RM6.8 billion for TVET development programmes for this year alone.

Anwar claimed the budget is the biggest for TVET initiatives so far, underscoring how important vocational and technical education is to his government.

A large chunk of it will go to Human Resource Development Berhad (HRD Corp), which will spend up to RM1.6 billion to provide 1.7 million training opportunities, including retraining and skill improvement programmes for micro, small and medium enterprise entrepreneurs.

The fund will also be used to train or upskill former convicts, the disabled, seniors and retirees.

TVET has been touted as a career solution to help the country's sizeable underemployed workforce. Two million of Malaysia's 15.5 million workers are said to be underemployed, most of them young and typically with university qualifications.

Policymakers believe TVET can give students practical skills and knowledge for a specific trade or vocation.

It's considered an alternative to traditional academic routes, and some advocates of vocational and technical training believe TVET is sometimes superior in providing students with the practical skills needed for highly-specialised jobs, like automotive or aviation engineering.

Over the years, policymakers have channeled huge allocations to boost TVET programmes amid soaring demand for technical workers. Still, TVET graduates often complain about low pay, which analysts think is among the key factors deterring TVET programme take-up.