Kuala lumpur: A total of 53.9 percent of Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) holders are now opting for the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) pathway, bringing the country closer to its target of 70 percent by the end of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP). Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stated that the figure demonstrated that efforts to restructure the national education ecosystem towards high-skilled and technical fields were on the right track.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid mentioned, "By the end of the 13MP, we aim for 70 percent of SPM holders to be in the high-level TVET sector, and to date, we have achieved 53.9 percent. This means we need only about a further 17 percent to reach the target." Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, made these remarks during his visit to Universiti Kuala Lumpur British Malaysian Institute (UniKL BMI).

He further elaborated that there are currently 439,000 TVET students nationwide enrolled across 1,398 institutions, a figure he described as significant in efforts to transform the national education landscape. He emphasized that the 13MP target can be achieved through the continued efforts of UniKL and its faculties, as well as with the support of other TVET institutions, while maintaining traditional courses for sectors that do not require high levels of expertise.

Meanwhile, UniKL BMI, in a statement, acknowledged that Ahmad Zahid's visit reflects recognition of the institution's role as a leader in TVET human capital development, particularly in the electrical, electronics, semiconductor, telecommunications, and electronic biomedical sectors. During the visit, Ahmad Zahid also officiated the Sustainable Energy Living Lab (SELL) building, Malaysia's first net-zero/energy-plus facility, which is equipped with smart energy generation and management technology to support the country's energy transition agenda.