KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — Increasing the opportunities for more Indian students to obtain Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) qualifications is viewed as providing a better future for them while preserving the rights of all races in the national education system.
The government’s effort to alleviate the hardships faced by the community shows a serious commitment by the national leadership to eradicate hardcore poverty among Indians in the country, Malaysian Indian Youth Council (MYIC) secretary-general Janarthanan Velliathum said.
The increase will create a larger competent Indian workforce in certain fields, which will also meet industry needs and contribute to the country’s economic growth.
“More admissions will also open up alternative opportunities for less academically inclined Indian students and produce a skilled workforce in technical fields,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
On Sunday (July 16), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim gave assurances the admissions of ethnic Indian students into TVET programmes will be increased, in an effort to lower the pressures of poverty among the race.
He also announced the Ministry of Education will form a special committee to evaluate the methods of offering placements to outstanding Indian and Chinese students in Matriculation Colleges and pre-university programmes.
Concerned University Malaya Indian Graduates (CUMIG) senior ambassador Sathish Kumar Batumelai, who welcomed the government’s commitment, said TVET qualifications would help the Indian community to generate income.
A Labour Force Survey report issued by the Department of Statistics Malaysia showed that most jobs in the country are currently in the semi-skilled category rather than the skilled category.
He appealed to the government to create more opportunities for Indian students to pursue critical majors at universities through the Matriculation programme, as such degree holders could generate high-income workers capable of reducing the poverty rate in the community.
Sathish Kumar added the government can also consider drawing up a clear plan to study the situation without touching on the privileges of Malay and Bumiputera students as stipulated in Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.
Meanwhile, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Centre of Education and Diversity lecturer Anuar Ahmad said active involvement of Indian students in TVET would not only enhance their technical skills and knowledge, but increase their incomes as well.
“They (non-Malays) have opportunities in TVET. The TVET education in our country is open to all races be they Chinese, Malay, Indian or communities from Sabah and Sarawak. We really hope and welcome higher participation from non-Malay students.
“TVET will be more attractive and more students will enrol if the institutions offering such programmes are established in rural areas that have a larger population or non-Malay community,” he said.
Anuar said based on his observations, many non-Malay students decide to work after completing the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) certificate in workshops or industrial sectors, which does not really help them earn a high income.
— Bernama
