1,000 Students Join Post-SPM Outreach Programme In Hang Tuah Jaya

MELAKA, June 13 (Bernama) -- About 1,000 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) holders took part in the Hang Tuah Jaya parliamentary constituency-level Targeted Outreach for Post-SPM Students programme, aimed at expanding access to information on higher education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and tertiary study opportunities.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abd Halim said TVET has now emerged as a preferred pathway that is on par with academic education, adding that the programme was organised to ensure that no student is left behind due to a lack of information or access to educational opportunities.

“This initiative is being implemented to realise the educational aspirations outlined under the Malaysia MADANI agenda, while strengthening the delivery of higher education information directly to students at the grassroots level.

“Higher education is not merely a pathway to obtaining qualifications or preparing for employment. It is also an important platform for nurturing knowledgeable individuals with critical thinking skills and a strong sense of responsibility towards society,” he said in a statement here today.

Adam Adli, who is also the Member of Parliament for Hang Tuah Jaya, said the programme also featured a more interactive approach tailored to Generation Z, including 20 exhibition booths by agencies under the Ministry of Higher Education.

He said participants also had the opportunity to take part in STEM-related activities such as the Robotic Dog, VR Edutainment and DIY Creative Candle-Making, while community services such as free haircuts provided by Kolej Komuniti Kota Melaka added to the programme's appeal. The appearance of UPUOnline icon Bang Jieb and edufluencer Cikgu Zeti also enlivened the event.

“The programme was also made possible through the collaboration of the Department of Higher Education, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Kolej Komuniti Kota Melaka, and the management of Sekolah Menengah Teknik Melaka as the host.

“The Targeted Outreach for Post-SPM Students programme will also be expanded to other schools within the Hang Tuah Jaya parliamentary constituency in the future to ensure that more students benefit from the initiative,” he said.

He added that the government is currently implementing a targeted free education agenda through the National Higher Education Fund Corporation’s (PTPTN) Biasiswa Anak eKasih PTPTN (BAeK PTPTN) initiative, which converts education loans into scholarships for 10,000 eligible students nationwide.

He said the initiative is a social justice measure aimed at easing students’ financial burden and narrowing socioeconomic disparities among the rakyat.

“In the Hang Tuah Jaya parliamentary constituency alone, four students will benefit from this initiative. Insya-Allah, I will personally meet them to deliver the good news,” he said.

-- BERNAMA