‘Technical education a top priority’ state

 

KOTA SAMARAHAN: The state government is placing top priority on technical education to produce skilled and semi skilled workforce to meet manpower need for Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE). Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said to meet the demand of skilled workforce the state is setting up more technical colleges and schools. He added it was also important to hold programmes and campaigns in rural areas to attract young generation to grab technical education opportunities. “We are going to open a new technical school by this year end and two more next year to produce more skilled manpower for the future,” he said when launching the ‘Sarawak Education Development Expo 2013’ at civic centre yesterday. Taib said the expo would create awareness among visitors on technical education opportunities in the state. He noted the people including those from the rural areas were now aware that education was vital in bettering their lives. Even the Penans had began to realise this importance, he pointed out. “There will be plenty of jobs available with the implementation of SCORE which is expected to earn attractive return of RM200 billion by 2020. “To produce more workers who are skilled in technical field, we should focus not only to those migrating from rural area to the city, but also those in rural and remote areas. We should hold more programmes to spread awareness on this field,” he said. The Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Bumiputera Sarawak (TEGAS) is also responsible for promoting technical education and opportunities to attract communities in rural areas because they could not understand the importance of technical education. Taib said the Yayasan Sarawak had also taken aggressive steps to make sure no one was left out in education, adding the foundation spent RM30 million a year on higher education assistance. Among those present were Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister Office (Technical Education Promotion) Datu Len Talif Salleh ,State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Ghani, Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Assistant Minister of Tourism Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Assistant Minister of Industrial Development Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Muara Tuang assemblyman Dato Sri Mohd Ali Mahmud and Taib’s wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib. https://www.theborneopost.com/2013/12/01/technical-education-a-top-priority-state/