Education sector needs to be prioritised in Budget 2018

The education sector needs to be given priority in the upcoming Budget 2018, to ensure the human capital development agenda and quality human resource development can be achieved based on the needs of the current job market.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Shahrin Sahib said sufficient allocation for the education sector in next year's budget would be in line with the focus on the Industrial Revolution 4.0, through the enhancement of Technical Education and Vocational Training (TVET).

"We know that the current world economic situation is challenging, and it indirectly affects the country's economy, however, we expect Budget 2018 to continue to prioritise the education sector.

"This is because of Industrial Revolution 4.0, where we will need a considerable allocation for improvements in infrastructure from the lowest to the highest levels in the national education sector," he told reporters after UTeM's appreciation dinner with the media here, on Friday.

At the event, more than 50 electronic and print media practitioners in the state of Melaka were feted by UTeM for their cooperation in covering various reports and positive news about the public technical university.

Shahrin said an adequate allocation could help the country's education sector to grow better and compete on the global level.

On UTeM's expectations from Budget 2018, Shahrin said he hoped the university would continue to receive substantial allocations for the development of focus fields, namely engineering and engineering technology.

"This development fund is important for UTeM in our efforts to ensure that all the plans which have been prioritised can be implemented successfully, and that the university continues to be a key driver of the country's public technical education sector," he said.

Meanwhile, he said UTeM would continue to raise the positive perception of the institution in the technical industry locally and globally, through print and electronic media.

"I was informed that this year alone, there were 533 news or reports on UTeM, and its achievements and success have been reported in print and electronic media, and this figure is double that of last year.

He said the reports not only benefited UTeM as a public university, but also all Malaysians on the whole.

-- BERNAMA