UTeM brings vocational education to Lahad Datu
Published on: Wednesday, July 31, 2024
By: Azmie Lim
Yusof witnessing the signing ceremony between UTem and MPOB.
LAHAD DATU: The establishment of the Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) learning centre in the district is considered to be the first step to bringing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to Sabah.
Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Mohd Yusof Apdal said the UTeM learning centre that will be established at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Lahad Datu is part of a step to meet the requirements of the national TVET policy.
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He said the UTeM learning centre is expected to become a TVET centre in Sabah since the field of TVET is the best in creating bright opportunities for students.
“We are very grateful to the Higher Education Ministry (KPT) through UTeM and the Plantation and Commodities Ministry through MPOB who have agreed and cooperated in creating this learning centre,” he said when met after witnessing the Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony between MPOB and UTeM, Thursday.
Yusof, who is also Lahad Datu MP, said the learning centre can also meet local needs in line with efforts to empower the country’s TVET field.
He added that the effort can also ensure that the people in Sabah and Sarawak do not lag in mastering TVET while also being able to overcome the issue of unemployment.
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Meanwhile, UTeM Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Massila Kamalrudin said UTeM will focus on technical programmes and will start with IT-based programmes such as AI, “Software Technology” and IOT (Internet of Things) for plantation at this learning centre.
According to Massila, the learning centre is ready to operate at any time but UTeM will formally go through UP TVET and will empower UP TVET for off-campus programmes in Lahad Datu for advanced technical-based fields.
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“This is our first learning centre in Lahad Datu and Sabah, and we want it to be a TVET Academy representing the UTeM.
“For the long term, we hope this learning centre can develop into a UTem satellite campus in Borneo,” he added.
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