KULIM, July 9 — The Ministry of Education (MoE) has assured that it will not marginalise any race in relation to educational opportunities in this country and always strives to improve the existing system.

Its minister Fadhlina Sidek said that although the government maintains the Malay and Bumiputera quota system, opportunities in education should also be given to students of other races.

“We are indeed in agreement with what the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) said but at the same time at the MoE level we have many improvements and I want to assure you that we are not marginalising any race (to study).

“This is important, especially the sixth form that we are looking at and other opportunities to ensure that all our children have equal access to education. So no one will be marginalised,” she told reporters after officiating the closing of the national-level Innovation and Robotics Competition, here today.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister in the ‘Temu Anwar’ programme at Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok explained that the Malay and Bumiputera quota system in education needs to be maintained to balance the number of students of that races in institutions of higher learning (IPT).

Meanwhile, Fadhlina said the programmes offered by vocational colleges under the Ministry of Education have achieved encouraging success as the marketability of graduates is currently at over 90 per cent.

“We are pleased to inform that the employability rate of our vocational college graduates has exceeded 90 per cent and all 606 diploma programmes we offer have been accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and the Malaysian Board of Technologists (MBOT).

“We need to spread the word to the public so that they are aware of the opportunities offered at our vocational colleges,” she said. — Bernama