KUCHING: The Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) is organising an Incentive and Scholarship programme on April 26 at SMK Oya, Mukah.
The programme introduces students with good SPM and STPM 2018 results to the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses at PPKS.
This was announced during a visit by PPKS officials to the Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development office at the Baitul Makmur building, Petra Jaya near here yesterday.
Among the officials were PPKS executive director Hallman Sabri, PPKS director Rambli Hasbi and PPKS sector liaison officer Hassim Hassan.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said this was a strategic move by PPKS to create awareness about TVET.
“We have various training institutes in Sarawak. The approach is a very smart way of sharing information with students, teachers and the community about PPKS.
“The PPKS Adopted School programme is quite strategic. Such a collaboration would provide students, teachers and parents an understanding of the courses, facilities and scholarships available,” she pointed out.
Fatimah also explained that TVET was the way forward for Sarawak to meet the needs of the fourth industrial revolution (IR4.0).
“It’s like a pyramid structure actually. The professionals are on top with smaller numbers while the base of the pyramid would need to be filled with skilled workforce,” she stressed.
Fatimah added that students needed to be encouraged to take up TVET as “not everyone can go for the academic fields and demands in the market are blue-collar workers.”
“In order to achieve the capacity of required skilled force, we need to inform the parents and students as we need to change the mindset of the community in order to progress in this field,” she said.
Meanwhile, Hallman told the media that the PPKS Adopted School programme was a step made to have a close relationship with schools in Sarawak.
“The programme educates and creates awareness about TVET and what it can contribute to the quality of life of the people of Sarawak.”
He said the initiative could improve the socioeconomy of the communities in Sarawak.
“Generally, we will increase more adopted schools for the whole of Sarawak – the next stage will be in Limbang, Bintulu and Miri.”
Currently, the number of PPKS adopted schools is 31, including 11 in Mukah.
