By Ling Hui
KUCHING, Oct 12: Students today are spoilt for choice on academic programmes to pursue after completing secondary school, says Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Sarawak Business Federation (SBF) president Datuk Abang Abdul Karim Tun Abang Openg.
Be it after SPM or the Internation General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), he said, there are 20 public universities (IPTA), 434 private institutions or universities (IPTS), 36 polytechnics and 105 community colleges to choose from locally.
In terms of statistics, he said the number of enrolment into IPTA versus IPTS is on average in the same proportion.
“Enrolment statistics for IPTA versus IPTS stand on average at a ratio of 1 to 1. In better economic times before the Covid-19 pandemic, IPTS were the more popular choice.
“In 2017, IPTS enrolment stood at 666,617 students versus 538,555 in IPTA. In 2021, the enrolment for IPTA was 589,879 while that for IPTS was 517,580.
“Indeed, the reduced enrolment in tertiary education after the pandemic is a matter of concern,” he said.
Abang Abdul Karim also said that the ratio of job seekers with tertiary qualifications is still at 30 per cent while the other 70 per cent have SPM qualifications and below.
This figure might have been a static trend for the past decade, he stressed, while hoping that the qualifications of future labour force would improve over time.
“Sunway College Kuching’s offering of part-time Diploma programmes approved by Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) are timely and will surely address the issue of the 70 per cent of students who did not pursue higher education.
“Thus, I’m urging our working adults out there to consider taking part-time qualification to enhance your knowledge and equip yourself,” he said during the part-time diplomas in accounting and business management launching ceremony held at Sunway College Kuching here today.
His speech text was read by Sunway College Kuching director Joseph Lim.
Also present at the event was Sunway Education Group chief executive officer Professor Dr Elizabeth Lee as well as representatives of Sunway College Kuching’s corporate partners. — DayakDaily
