IKN opens main satellite campus in Kota Belud

KOTA BELUD: The National Craft Institute (IKN) has established the main satellite campus in Kota Belud as an initiative to expand craft skills training among youths in Sabah.

The opening of the campus was officiated by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and witnessed by the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin and Kraftangan Malaysia Director-General Ibrahim Ismail at the Sabah Handicraft Centre, here, Friday.

In her speech, Nancy said the establishment of the campus aimed at increasing youth participation in the field of craft through formal and flexible education and skills training besides providing a life-long learning programme.

“The creation of this satellite campus is also a manifestation of the Government’s concern to always provide space and opportunities for the youths in Sabah to pursue their studies in the field of craft formally and recognised,” she said.

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She added that the satellite campus was offering the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) programmes in the field of craft to youth aged between 18 and 35, using the National Occupational Skills Standard (NOSS).

Nancy said the programme offered at the main campus in Kota Belud was the Songket and Dastar SKM (Level Three), while the Rattan Craft SKM (Level Three) was being offered at the mini campus in Inanam, with the field of study also covers communications, language, management, entrepreneurship and security skills.

She said the Sabah IKN satellite campus currently housed 18 students of the September 2020 intake, namely the pioneer group who would undergo a full-time programme for two years, comprising various ethnicities such as Bajau, Iranun, Dusun and Murut.

“Kraftangan Malaysia projects the student intake at the Sabah IKN satellite campus for 2020 to 2025 to be 268 people,” she said, adding that the first intake would complete their studies in July 2023.

Nancy also hoped the campus would offer Batik Craft programme in an effort to produce more quality batik craft entrepreneurs with local identity in Sabah.

Meanwhile, she said a total of 204 students from Sabah have participated in skills training at the IKN’s main campus in Rawang, Selangor, with 30 of them currently undergoing certificate and diploma programmes for the 2020/2021 session.

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Out of 174 graduates, she said 11 per cent have become craft entrepreneurs, working in the craft industry (29 per cent), private sector (31 per cent), other sectors (17 per cent) and public sector and pursuing studies at various level (six per cent).

In a related development, Nancy said IKN satellite campuses would be opened in Sarawak this July which offer the Pua Weaving Supervisor Certificate in Betong and the Songket and Dastar Supervisor Certificate in Kuching, with the first intake of 50 students this year.

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