A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT

OF SKILL TRAINING IN
MALAYSIA
AZIZI BIN HAMID
RUSHAZILA BTE AMIR NORDIN
SALWANI BTE DAUD

CHAPTER 1
ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

VET earliest appearance in the form of traditional handicraft training almost 120
years ago, and craft and trade skills training about a century ago

post-First World War years, apprenticeship training had already made its presence

1957 that vocational training began as a major component of Malaysias education

and training system

achieved largely through the Razak Report in 1956, the Rahman Talib Report in
1960 and the Cabinet (Mahathir) Report of 1979

during the 1970s, occupational skills standards named National Trade Standards
but yet known as National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS) on 1993

ABSTRACT

enactment of the National Skills Development Act 2006 [Act 652] (NASDA) on
June 29, 2006

national legislation has been enacted directly for skills training and
development in Malaysia through NASDA

Malaysian industries have created new demands on the skilled workforce,

namely for knowledge-workers or k-workers- 19 May 2004 to implement the
National Dual Training System (NDTS) starting from 2005

CHAPTER 2
EARLY DEVELOPMENTS
OF VET IN MALAYSIA

EARLY DEVELOPMENTS OF VET IN

MALAYSIA

1897 set up trade school to prepare Malay boys work as mechanics and fitters
on the railways

1900 Selangor engaged local craftsmen such as wood carver, silversmith,

blacksmith and tailor teach Malay student residing in the Malay Settlement on the
outskirts of Kuala Lumpur

1902 Malayan Art School (Perak) under the patronage of its Sultan, providing
training for weaving, embroidery, wood-carving, silversmiths work, pottery and
mat-making

1906 - Treacher Technical School was established by the Public Works Department
to train technical assistants for the Railways and Public Works Department (closed
at First World War and reopened 1918)

EARLY DEVELOPMENTS OF VET IN

MALAYSIA

1919 - government set up a committee to review the needs for technical and industrial
education

1926 - Federal Trade School in Kuala Lumpur was opened to provide full-time three-year courses
to train mechanics, fitters, machine workers and other technicians (student capacity fifteen to
twenty per year and primarily served the needs of Public Works Department)

1931 - The Education Department took over then was called Technical School, to serve the
needs of other public departments apart from the Public Works Department, as well as business
enterprises such as mines, estates and private firms.

Later, it also took in private students leading towards Technological Certificates awarded by the City and Guilds
Institute of London

Later, three other trade schools were built in Penang, Ipoh and Singapore to prepare apprentices as artisans in trades
such as mechanics, plumbers, fitters, electricians and blacksmith

1945 - pioneer technical school was renamed Technical College

upgraded in 1972 to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

EARLY DEVELOPMENTS OF VET IN

MALAYSIA

1955 - set up an Education Committee headed by Abdul Razak Hussein, the

Malayan Education Minister, to review the existing education system and to
formulate an education system for post-independence Malaya

1956 - The study led to a report known as the Razak Report which recommended
a unified education system for all Malayans. Reports recommendation that
technical education and training be organised into three levels namely :

technical colleges (for those who had completed a full (five years) secondary education)

technical institutes (for those who had completed three years of secondary education and who
seek employment as techniciansand)

trade schools (for those who had completed a primary school education especially in rural areas

EARLY DEVELOPMENTS OF VET IN

MALAYSIA

1960 - Rahman Talib Report was published.

proposed that the majority (up to 70 percent) of pupils be given the opportunity in post-primary schools
to acquire manual skills whilst preparing for the Lower Certificate of Education examinations that is at the
end of three years of secondary education
noted that there were only eight rural trade schools

student enrollment of 616

junior technical (trade) schools were converted to secondary trade schools which, in turn, were converted
in 1968 to secondary vocational schools

1969 - the total enrollment in vocational and technical schools was 3,786 compared with the
total secondary school enrollment of 468,816

1979 - Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, was formed Cabinet Report reaffirmed
that the countrys upper secondary education should comprise of both the academic and
vocational streams

CHAPTER 3
SHAPING OF THE
MALAYSIAN SKILLS
TRAINING SYSTEM

SHAPING OF THE MALAYSIAN SKILLS

TRAINING SYSTEM

skills training had emerged as a visible and distinct component of Malaysias education and
training system by the late 1970s

Ahmad (2003) observed Malaysian VET system was dominated by three different pathways
namely:-

higher education (Professional and managerial personnel such as engineers, architects, and surveyors)

technical and vocational education (Supervisory personnel such as technical assistants and supervisors)

skills training (Skilled and semi-skilled workers)

Rashid & Nasir (2003) highlighted that the mainstream secondary school system comprised of
three different pathways :

Tertiary or higher education in universities and other higher educational institutions (academic pathways)

Technical and vocational education undertaken largely in the formal school system under the Ministry of Education
(technical and vocational education stream)

Post-secondary technical and vocational education and training (skills training stream)

SHAPING OF THE MALAYSIAN SKILLS

TRAINING SYSTEM

The Basic Study on Designing a Dual training Scheme in Malaysia undertaken from 1997 to 1999 by a
large team of German consultants described the Malaysian VET system was made up of three
subsystems :

1st subsystem: technical education and vocational training in schools of the Ministry of Education

SPM as the leaving qualification

had a choice of several educational or vocational avenues such as colleges, universities, polytechnics, Teacher training, Various skills training
programmes and Direct entry into the employment market

2nd subsystem : technical and vocational training which did not come under the purview of the Ministry of Education (Ministry of
Human Resources, Ministry of Youth and Sports, and MARA) as well as private training institutions

based on the National Occupational Skill Standard (NOSS)

The qualifications involved were mainly the Malaysian Skills Certificate Levels 1 to 3, diploma for Level 4, and advanced diploma/degree for
Level 5

3rd subsystem : The standardisation and certification of occupational skills based on NOSS and Certification System

It started with a three-level skill certification system (basic, intermediate and advanced)

1992, a new 5-level skills qualification framework was introduced, followed by the adoption of an accreditation approach in 1993.

The accreditation of training centres and their training courses was conducted by the NVTC

SHAPING OF THE MALAYSIAN SKILLS

TRAINING SYSTEM

Strategic Review of Technical Education and Skills Training (TEST) in Malaysia was
undertaken by Australian consultants during 1998-1999 period confirmed that :

vocational education under MOE was one major component of the Malaysian public sector VET system

training conducted by the MOHR, MYS and MARA using NOSS as a basis, formed the other major component
of the national system

2005 - study undertaken on behalf the World Bank categorised Malaysias TVET system
into five main pillars including a NOSS-based training system :

1st.Pillar : Public higher education system

Excludes universities and university colleges

includes polytechnics and community colleges under the Ministry of Higher Education

Includes technical schools under the Ministry of Education

Includes training institutions under the Ministry of Human Resources, Ministry of Entrepreneurial Development and
Ministry of Youth & Sports

SHAPING OF THE MALAYSIAN SKILLS

TRAINING SYSTEM

2nd.Pillar : Malaysian Skills Qualifications Framework

3rd.Pillar : Company-based training which comes under the Human Resource

Development Fund (HRDF)

five-tiered skills certification system based on the NOSS

established in 1993 to promote the training of employees

4th.Pillar : Private higher education

largely under the purview of the Private Higher Education Institutions Act 1996

accredited by the National Accreditation Board

5th.Pillar : Continuing education and training

caters to the demands of

employers, community or society at large for further education, skills upgrading,

retraining, career advancement and enrichment

CHAPTER 4
LEGISLATIONS
CONCERNING SKILLS
TRAINING

LEGISLATIONS CONCERNING SKILLS

TRAINING
Five

pieces of legislation were enacted for the

development of skills training in Malaysia
1.

Education Act 1996 (Act 550)

2.

Private Higher Educational Institution Act (Act 555)

3.

National Accreditation Board Act 1996 (Act 556)

4.

Skills Development Fund Act 2004 (Act 640)

5.

National Skills Development Act 2006 (Act 652)

EDUCATION ACT 1996 (ACT 550)

takes a very broad view of education that clearly encompasses all forms
of training including skills, specialised, job-based and continuing training

subsection 35(2) of the Act which stipulates that technical education

includes the provision of:
Skills

training;

Specialised
Training
Such

training related to a specific job;

for the upgrading of existing skills; and

other technical or vocational training as may be approved by the

Minister of Education

PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATIONAL

INSTITUTION ACT (ACT 555)

to specifically regulate private higher educational institutions in Malaysia

adopts the same broad view of education

adopts several interpretations which show its intent to treat training as a

component of education, albeit higher education, in Malaysia

Examples stated in act : Course

Higher

of study includes a training programme. (Malaysia, 1996b: 11).

education means instruction or training on or teaching of a course

of study leading to the award of a certificate, diploma or degree upon the
successful completion thereof. (ibid: 12)

NATIONAL ACCREDITATION BOARD

ACT 1996 (ACT 556)

the architects of educational reforms during the 1990s regard

training as merely a part of education in Malaysia

emphasises that a course of study may include any training

programme (Malaysia, 1996c: 6)

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUND ACT

2004 (ACT 640)

gazetted on 31st December 2004 (Malaysia, 2006a: 2)

establishing the Skills Development Corporation to manage the

Skills Development Fund

The Fund has been established to grant skills training loans to

trainees of approved skills training programmes, especially
those based on NOSS (ibid: 14)

NATIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ACT

2006 (ACT 652)

effect on 1st September 2006 after it was officially gazetted on 29th June 2006

exclusively for skills training and development

meaning and scope of skills training has been clarified and more importantly

establishment, review, variation and use of National Occupational Skills

Standards (NOSS)

implementation of a Malaysian Skills Certification System, leading to the award

of five levels of national skills qualification, namely Malaysian Skills Certificate
Level 1, 2 and 3; Malaysian Skills Diploma; and Malaysian Skills Advanced
Diploma

CHAPTER 5
INTRODUCTION AND
PROVISIONING OF SKILLS
TRAINING BASED ON NOSS

INTRODUCTION AND PROVISIONING

OF SKILLS TRAINING BASED
ON NOSS
1968

- International Labour Organisation (ILO) expert on

teaching technique was started a Trade Instructors Training
Programme which 72 instructors were trained
The

programme was expanded with the signing of a Plan of

Operation agreement between the Malaysian Government and the
United Nation Development Programme in June 1969

to

include, amongst others, establishing trade skill tests and the

strengthening of apprenticeship standards

INTRODUCTION AND PROVISIONING

OF SKILLS TRAINING BASED
ON NOSS
1972

- the development of occupational skills standards known as trade

standards at that time received greater attention from the government
Central

Trade Standards and Testing Committee (CTSTC) was established, consisting of

10 members of whom 2 represented employers organisations and another 2
represented employees organisations :To

determine the trades for which testing is to be carried out for purposes of common
certification; and

To

establish, apply and review standards for certification at various levels of performance.
(ibid: 79)

National

Trade Standards for the Basic, Intermediate and Advanced grades had been
approved by the CTSTC for three trade skills areas, namely Motor Vehicle Mechanic,
Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Mechanic; and Earth-moving Equipment and
Constructional Machinery Mechanic (ibid:79)

INTRODUCTION AND PROVISIONING

OF SKILLS TRAINING BASED
ON NOSS
December

9, 1992 - National Occupational Skills

Standards (NOSS) was first introduced following the
decision of the National Vocational Training Council : to

agree to several measures that sought to improve the national

vocational training and certification system in Malaysia

to

adopt the accreditation approach in the implementation of the

national skills certification system

to

enhance the competency-based training approach in the

countrys training system

INTRODUCTION AND PROVISIONING

OF SKILLS TRAINING BASED
ON NOSS
May

2007 - a total of 1,151 different training institutions have been accredited to offer 6,575 training
programmes based on NOSS, of which 363 centres are administered by public agencies and authorities,
whilst the remaining 788 are privately run

Within the public sector :

26

accredited centres (478 accredited programmes) come under the Ministry of Human Resources;

165

centres (744 programmes) under the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development;

15

centres (322 programmes) under the Ministry of Youth and Sports;

66

centres (366 programmes) under the Ministry of Education;

10

centres (31 programmes) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries;

16

centres (55 programmes) under the Ministry of Home Affairs;

15

centres (158 programmes) under the Ministry of Defense;

centres (25 programmes) under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development;

centres (8 programmes) under the Ministry of Family, Women and Community Development;

centre (2 programmes) under the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities;

42

centres (460 programmes) under various state authorities

CHAPTER 6
CHANGING DEMANDS:
INTRODUCTION OF THE
NATIONAL DUAL TRAINING
SYSTEM

CHANGING DEMANDS:
INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL
DUAL TRAINING SYSTEM
new

demands on the skilled workforce - knowledge-workers or k-workers

19

May 2004 - to implement the National Dual Training System (NDTS) commencing in 2005 to
produce 31,500 skilled workers by 2010

Dual

Training System Project (DSP) which was formulated with the purpose of strengthening
technical education and vocational training in Malaysia by incorporating the dual training system
practiced in Germany

two-year

training programme carried out at two learning environments, namely 70-80 percent in
workplaces and the remaining 20-30 percent in selected training institutions

National

Occupational Core Curriculum (NOCC) was introduced as the basis for training and
assessment

NOCC

is a new form of training documentation and it differs from training resources used in the
existing NOSS based training because its development has been premised on the work process
orientation

END
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