Rokiah Mahmud
Legislative Council (LegCo) member Yang Berhormat Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin called for revisiting the technical and vocational education system to ensure that the local workforce is industry-ready during yesterday’s 19th LegCo session.
He proposed for the dual technical and vocational education and training, also known as Dual TVET, to be implemented referring to systems in Austria and Germany.
He noted in that system, 70 per cent of the trainee’s time is spent at the company, with the rest at the educational institution.
The training at the company also begins at the first week of the programme, he added.
He said that such a programme will help tackle the skills gap and help address youth unemployment. “Companies also benefit from this Dual TVET system where companies are ensured that they always have enough skilled workers and can ensure that the trainees are equipped with the required knowledge and training,” he said.
Minister of Education (MoE), Yang Berhormat Datin Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh said the Institute of Brunei Technical Education does have a dual TVET programme structure, though more time is spent at the learning institution. “For example, in the construction programme, 70 per cent of the students time are at campus or classrooms.
“However, it is not an ordinary classroom. These are venues that serve as workshops,” she said, where training is provided by registered training organisations.
Students will learn about materials and are trained on basic construction knowledge before going on site and applying what they have learnt, said the minister.
