Go for new courses after SPM, says Muhyiddin

By HAMDAN RAJA ABDULLAH
metrose@thestarcom.my

thestar.com.my

Wednesday March 24, 2010

MUAR: Students who excelled in the SPM examination should pursue new and challenging courses towards creating greater growth for the nation.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said they should not just focus on normal courses or those which made job-seeking easier in the future.

They should venture into fields such as bio-technology, nanotechnology, green technology, digital animation and others that would make them more innovative, he said.

“The students are in a critical time period after the SPM and the courses they choose will not determine their careers but also the nation’s future.

“This is because the nation is going through a transition into a high-income economy,” he said when launching a prospectus on education, training and career opportunities for 2010/2011 at SM Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah 1 in Pagoh on Friday.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said that creativity would enrich human capital with more knowledge and push the nation towards the high-income economy.

There were vast opportunities for students to go into higher studies as there were 20 universities, 27 polytechnics, 59 community colleges and 345 private higher learning institutions with university and college status, he added.

The students could also take up vocational and technical courses at public or private institutions that had the potential to produce a highly-skilled workforce.

Muhyiddin praised the Muar Education Department, teachers and parents in Pagoh for the high number of students who excelled in the SPM examination last year.

He said that 32 students in Pagoh achieved excellent grades although they studied in rural schools.
“As Pagoh MP, I am proud of them, the schools, teachers, parents and the department, and thank them all.

“I also want to thank Persatuan Warga Cinta Negara for giving cash rewards to the students and distributing the prospectus to schools in Pagoh,” he added.