ARAU: The initiative to ensure that 70 per cent of students in fully residential schools choose the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) stream is crucial to achieving the target of producing 60,000 engineers needed to meet industry demand, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said if students focus on this field, they will have the opportunity to further their studies at universities under the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN) if they achieve good results.
“It has been emphasised to all fully residential schools that 70 per cent of their students must focus on STEM. Those who excel in STEM at the secondary school level can be directly channelled into these universities to ensure a supply of students to MTUN,“ he said.
He told reporters this after his working visit to Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) here today. Also present were UniMAP vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Zaliman Sauli and Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) chief executive Mohamad Haris Kader Sultan.
Last Wednesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim proposed that 70 per cent of students in fully residential schools opt for the STEM stream starting next year to strengthen their mastery of the field.
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, was quoted as saying that efforts to increase student participation in STEM must be implemented immediately this year in line with the field’s importance to national development.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council chairman, said that UniMAP, which has a TVET centre, is at the forefront of efforts to produce the 60,000 engineers required in the job market.
Ahmad Zahid, who is Rural and Regional Development Minister, added that an allocation of RM1 million has been approved for UniMAP, with RM200,000 designated for conducting courses related to the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector and RM800,000 for training equipment.
“I congratulate UniMAP for focusing on the E&E sector, which is one of our country’s largest export industries. We urgently need a skilled workforce in this field,“ he said.
Ahmad Zahid said the TVET Council would continue to support UniMAP, as the university also offers training under the High-Level Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Hi-TVET) Programme.
“The most important aspect is providing upskilling training that grants certification to trainees, enhancing the value of E&E graduates so they can secure premium salaries when hired by local and international companies,“ he said.
He also noted that UniMAP has introduced Advanced Packaging as part of its coursework, which the Prime Minister has highlighted as highly essential in the global semiconductor sector.
During his visit, Ahmad Zahid was briefed on the Centre of Excellence for Semiconductor Technology Training and participated in discussions on talent development and Advanced Packaging with UniMAP management and NCIA representatives. He also witnessed the handing over of Memorandums of Agreement between UniMAP and 25 industry partners.
