140,000 places in colleges for SPM leavers

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 140,000 places will be offered to Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) leavers to study diploma and certificate courses at institutions of higher learning this year, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said here yesterday.

He said they could apply for basic courses (16,640), diplomas at public institutions of higher learning (23,000), polytechnic diplomas (51,000), community college certificates (11,000) and Public Skills Training Institutions or ILKA (38,500).

"This year's diploma student intake has been increased by 5.44 per cent to 22,927 places compared with 21,744 last year," he said at the closing of the Higher Education Ministry's "Jom Masuk U 2011".

Polytechnic students intake had also gone up by 23 per cent to 51,000 places compared with 41,383 last year.
"The total number of diploma students intake this year is 74,000. This is a big increase compared with previous years and this is in line with the ministry's aim to produce 679,977 skilled workers with diplomas by 2020."

He said to further encourage students to take up diploma courses, the ministry had decided to shorten the course period from three years to two-and-a-half years for excellent students.

Khaled also encouraged institutions of higher learning to hold corporate social responsibility activities by providing access and opportunities to education to locals staying nearby.

"Identify the students and guide them to become potential graduates who will act as a feeder for the university programmes."

He said this year, the carnival had also acted as a one-stop centre to handle application and selection to Technical Education and Vocational Training Institutions and Public Skills Training Institutions.

A total of 20 public institutions of higher learning and more than 100 private institutions of higher learning participated in the carnival this year.

by the new straits times