MPA hopes government reevaluates physiotherapy courses under TVET

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Physiotherapy Association (MPA) has expressed hope that the federal government will re-evaluate its decision to place physiotherapy courses into the national Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme.

MPA president Dr Mohd Haidzir Abd Manaf also hoped that government would initiate constructive discussions with all relevant stakeholders, including professional organisations, educational institutions and active practitioners in the field to ensure progress and to maintain high standards.

“Reclassifying physiotherapy as a TVET course rather than keeping it as a full-fledged degree or diploma program raises significant concerns. The current educational requirements for physiotherapists are designed to ensure a comprehensive understanding of human anatomy, physiology, pathology, clinical conditions and therapeutic techniques.

“Physiotherapy is a highly specialised field that requires extensive training and education to ensure practitioners are competent and capable of providing safe and effective care. Allowing individuals who have come through a technical or vocational program to treat patients as physiotherapists could potentially compromise the quality of care,” he said in a statement today.

The current standards should be maintained to guarantee that all practicing physiotherapists possess the essential knowledge and skills to manage complex rehabilitation cases, he added.

“Technical or vocational training might not provide the depth of education required to understand the intricate details of human movement, injury mechanisms, and therapeutic interventions. Therefore, MPA will continue to advocate for all physiotherapists' rights and ensure the preservation of the standards we have tirelessly fought for over the years,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Haidzir said the MPA also proposed that the government provides business grants and entrepreneurship training for unemployed physiotherapy graduates in Malaysia.

“This initiative aims to empower these graduates to establish physiotherapy centres, particularly in rural areas where access to such services is limited. Additionally, we recommend implementing sales and service tax (SST) exemption for these physiotherapy centres to reduce the financial burden and encourage growth.

“Another key recommendation is to implement TVET programmes specifically tailored for training rehabilitation aides. A rehabilitation aide, also known as a rehab assistant, is a vital professional who collaborates closely with rehabilitation teams to support patient recovery,” he added.

On July 23, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the government would introduce physiotherapy certification courses into the national TVET curriculum.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also National TVET Council chairman, stated that such courses were needed to address the imbalance in the ratio of physiotherapists to the national population, which currently stands at one physiotherapist to 7,400 people - significantly lower than in developed countries.

-- BERNAMA