
Sarawak polytechnics, community colleges celebrate 1,719 graduates
KUCHING (Aug 10): Polytechnics and Community Colleges (POLYCC) continue to serve as the country's main driver of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), offering more than 80,000 study places at the foundation, certificate, diploma, and degree levels.
Director of Politeknik Kuching Sarawak, Mohamad Nazri Ismail, said current active enrolment at POLYCC stands at 97,554, underscoring its capacity to provide educational opportunities nationwide.
'This achievement not only reflects our success in attracting new students but also serves as strong evidence of public trust in TVET's role as a catalyst for social mobility and national development,' he said.
'In Sarawak alone, there are three polytechnics and six community colleges operating under POLYCC,' he said.
He said this in his speech at the 2025 Sarawak Zone Polytechnics and Community Colleges Convocation, officiated by Sarawak Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, at Dewan Jubli Perak, Politeknik Kuching Sarawak today.
Mohamad Nazri highlighted that POLYCC's 'TVET for All' aspiration is designed to give all segments of society the opportunity to pursue education according to their interests and potential.
The initiative, he said, is supported by the POLYCC Reform Plan 2025–2035, the Malaysia Polytechnic Transformation 2023–2035, and the Community College Empowerment 2024–2035.
'The focus is to produce highly skilled manpower oriented towards high-growth, high-value industries and the latest technologies,' he said.
'POLYCC's effectiveness is evident in its graduate employability rate, which stood at 98.8 per cent in 2024.
'In fact, there also has been a 40 per cent increase in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) school leavers choosing POLYCC as their main pathway after school, with applications exceeding available capacity each year,' he added.
In this regard, he said Politeknik Kuching Sarawak remains committed to producing graduates who meet market needs through initiatives such as sustainable governance, talent empowerment, industry collaboration, and lifelong learning.
The convocation today saw 428 graduates from Politeknik Kuching Sarawak, Kuching Community College, Sarikei Community College, Sarikei Community College Sibu Branch, and Miri Community College receiving their diplomas and certificates.
A total of 1,719 graduates from eight institutions under POLYCC Sarawak Zone will be celebrated throughout the ceremony, running from August 9 to 12.
Also present at the event were Miri Community College director Harmen Muda; Kuching Community College director Sumbang Mandaw; as well as Sarikei Community College and Sarikei Community College Sibu Branch director, Norasmah Jaafar. community college graduation polytechnics TVET
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Borneo Post
2 days ago
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Sagah officiates the convocation ceremony, witnessed by Kuching Polytechnic Director Mohamad Nazri Ismail (second left) and others. KUCHING (Aug 11): Sarawak is committed to ensuring the state's youth have access to technology-based training to produce a highly skilled and competitive workforce, said Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn. The Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) Sarawak said the training covers fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, industrial automation and green technology. 'Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is a key pillar in building a workforce that is relevant, adaptive and innovative. 'In this regard, Polytechnics and Community Colleges (PolyCC) are among the important institutions that directly contribute to producing a quality workforce,' he said when speaking at the Sarawak Zone PolyCC Convocation Ceremony 2025 at the Dewan Jubli Perak, Kuching Polytechnic here yesterday. According to Sagah, the National TVET Policy 2030 and the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) complement each other in positioning Sarawak as a regional talent and innovation hub. He said through the ministry, the state government continues to demonstrate its commitment to human capital development by focusing on TVET programmes that are flexible, responsive, and inclusive — in line with industry needs and the evolving job landscape. 'Therefore, it is important for us to further strengthen cooperation between PolyCC, industry players, and the state government to ensure the sustainability of the TVET ecosystem. 'I believe that with the support of MEITD and relevant agencies, we can empower TVET as a key driver of state and national development towards a knowledge- and innovation-based economy,' he said. In this regard, he expressed appreciation to the entire PolyCC community for their success in producing holistic, knowledgeable, and highly skilled graduates. 'This achievement is the result of smart collaboration between academia and industry. PolyCC graduates have proven they are ready to face real-world industry challenges and are able to contribute to economic growth and the state's development — and by extension, our country Malaysia,' he said. He also pointed out that PolyCC contributes 40 per cent of the nation's technical workforce, thus close cooperation between PolyCC, industry players and state government is vital for strengthening the TVET ecosystem — particularly to ensure rural communities are not left behind in accessing quality education. 'Initiatives such as the BAKaT programme on 22–23 February 2025 demonstrate the concerted efforts of all parties in building a skilled workforce through practical training that is relevant to industry needs. 'With continued support from MEITD and relevant agencies, PolyCC will remain a strategic partner in producing skilled human capital that can propel Sarawak towards a knowledge, innovation, and competitiveness-based economy,' Sagah added. The Sarawak Zone PolyCC Convocation Ceremony is being held from Aug 9–12 at Kuching Polytechnic Sarawak and later on Sept 13 at Mukah Polytechnic, involving graduates from various fields at the diploma-level for polytechnics and certificate-level for community colleges. The convocation ceremony at Kuching Polytechnic Sarawak combined the 33rd Kuching Polytechnic Convocation, the 9th Metro Betong Polytechnic Convocation, and the 2025 Sarawak Community College Convocation. A total of 1,719 graduates will receive their diploma and certificates — comprising 1,353 graduates from 13 programmes at Kuching Polytechnic Sarawak; 75 graduates from Metro Betong Polytechnic Sarawak; and 291 graduates from six community colleges. education lead Roland Sagah Wee Inn skilled workforce technology TVET


Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Borneo Post
Sarawak polytechnics, community colleges celebrate 1,719 graduates
Sagah, accompanied by Mohamad Nazri (left), presents a scroll to a graduate. KUCHING (Aug 10): Polytechnics and Community Colleges (POLYCC) continue to serve as the country's main driver of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), offering more than 80,000 study places at the foundation, certificate, diploma, and degree levels. Director of Politeknik Kuching Sarawak, Mohamad Nazri Ismail, said current active enrolment at POLYCC stands at 97,554, underscoring its capacity to provide educational opportunities nationwide. 'This achievement not only reflects our success in attracting new students but also serves as strong evidence of public trust in TVET's role as a catalyst for social mobility and national development,' he said. 'In Sarawak alone, there are three polytechnics and six community colleges operating under POLYCC,' he said. He said this in his speech at the 2025 Sarawak Zone Polytechnics and Community Colleges Convocation, officiated by Sarawak Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, at Dewan Jubli Perak, Politeknik Kuching Sarawak today. Mohamad Nazri highlighted that POLYCC's 'TVET for All' aspiration is designed to give all segments of society the opportunity to pursue education according to their interests and potential. The initiative, he said, is supported by the POLYCC Reform Plan 2025–2035, the Malaysia Polytechnic Transformation 2023–2035, and the Community College Empowerment 2024–2035. 'The focus is to produce highly skilled manpower oriented towards high-growth, high-value industries and the latest technologies,' he said. 'POLYCC's effectiveness is evident in its graduate employability rate, which stood at 98.8 per cent in 2024. 'In fact, there also has been a 40 per cent increase in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) school leavers choosing POLYCC as their main pathway after school, with applications exceeding available capacity each year,' he added. In this regard, he said Politeknik Kuching Sarawak remains committed to producing graduates who meet market needs through initiatives such as sustainable governance, talent empowerment, industry collaboration, and lifelong learning. The convocation today saw 428 graduates from Politeknik Kuching Sarawak, Kuching Community College, Sarikei Community College, Sarikei Community College Sibu Branch, and Miri Community College receiving their diplomas and certificates. A total of 1,719 graduates from eight institutions under POLYCC Sarawak Zone will be celebrated throughout the ceremony, running from August 9 to 12. Also present at the event were Miri Community College director Harmen Muda; Kuching Community College director Sumbang Mandaw; as well as Sarikei Community College and Sarikei Community College Sibu Branch director, Norasmah Jaafar. community college graduation polytechnics TVET


Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Borneo Post
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