Malaysian Education Blueprint focuses on quality of graduates - Minister

The Malaysian Education Blueprint for Higher Education or PPPM (PT) plays a major role in improving the quality of graduates produced by public tertiary institutions, said Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh.

He said it was important to improve the quality of graduates to ensure they could meet the market needs, so as to take the country to a higher level of development.

"With the 10 shifts in the plan, problems and issues (on quality of graduates) can be managed, for instance, with the integrated CGPA (cumulative grade point average) drafted in the plan to make the programme more holistic.

"The plan also encourages the involvement of industries in providing work experience to students and having industry leaders visit universities to give lectures and so on," he told reporters here, Sunday.

Earlier, he launched the Higher Education Ministry: Soaring Upwards Roadshow at the Malacca International Trade Centre which saw a briefing on the ministry's Higher Education Blueprint for about 200 students from the state's public universities and institutions of higher learning.

On April 7, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched the PPPM (PT), which outlines the direction of the nation's higher education for a period of 11 years, from 2015 to 2025.

The PPM (PT) introduces 10 shifts which focus on: producing holistic, enterprising and balanced graduates; talent excellence; embracing lifelong learning; graduates of technical and vocational education training (TVET); financial sustainability; governance empowerment; providing ecosystem for innovation; global excellence; globalised online learning; and the transformation of higher education delivery.

Idris said the people should not have the view that overseas universities were better than local universities because Malaysia have some of the best universities in the world.

He cited University of Malaya, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia as among the 100 best universities in the world.

"In fact, the Engineering Faculty of University of Malaya is expected to be listed as one of top 50 university faculties in the world soon and the people must understand that our education system is constantly improving," he added.