MBE13603 – Development of Education & Training System in TVET

Malaysia’s TVET policies guide the direction, structure, funding and quality assurance of the national TVET system. Key policy pillars include:

1. National TVET Transformation Framework

• Establishes TVET as a key enabler for high-income economy.

• Emphasises industry-driven curriculum, skills mobility, and certification reforms.

2. Shared Prosperity Vision 2030

• TVET as a tool for social mobility

• Increasing access to high-quality skills training

3. Malaysia Education Blueprint (Higher Education)

• Strengthening polytechnics, community colleges, and skills institutions

• Promoting work-based learning (WBL) and industry partnerships

4. 4IR & Digital Economy Policies

• Adoption of automation, robotics, AI, cybersecurity in TVET

• Reskilling and upskilling for future workforce needs

5. National Skills Development Policy (NSDP)

• Reinforces competency-based training (CBT)

• Ensures alignment with National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS)

Malaysia’s TVET system is governed by multiple ministries and agencies, making it multi-layered and decentralised.

Key Elements of Governance

1. TVET Ministries (Multi-Ministry Governance)

TVET programmes operate under:

• Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE)

• Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR)

• Ministry of Education (MOE)

• Ministry of Youth & Sports (KBS)

• Ministry of Agriculture

• Ministry of Rural Development
  …and more.

2. Central Coordination

• National TVET Council (MTVET)

  • Established to coordinate all TVET agencies

  • Unifies standards, governance, and funding

  • Works to reduce fragmentation and duplication

3. TVET Qualification Pathways

• MQF (Academic Pathway)

• NOSS (Skills Pathway)

• APEL (Mobility pathways)

• Level 1–8 progression opportunities

4. Regulatory and Quality Assurance Bodies

• MQA – Academic programmes

• DSD/JPK – Skills certification

• Professional bodies – Sector-specific certification

• Training Development Organisations (TDOs) play a central role in developing, standardising, and implementing TVET training.

  Key National TDOs

  1. Department of Skills Development (DSD/JPK)

  • Develops NOSS

  • Accredits skills centres

  • Conducts Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) assessments

  2. MQA (Malaysian Qualifications Agency)

  • Accredits academic-based TVET programmes

  • Ensures MQF compliance

  • Conducts institutional audits

  3. Industry Lead Bodies (ILBs)

  • Industry associations tasked to:

    • Identify industry needs

    • Develop sectoral standards

    • Guide curriculum relevance

  4. HRD Corp (Human Resource Development Corporation)

  • Provides funding for industry training

  • Manages National Training Fund

  • Supports reskilling and upskilling under PENJANA, 4IR programmes

  5. TVET Provider Networks

  • Polytechnics, Community Colleges

  • ILP, ADTEC

  • Giat MARA

  • Private skill centres

  Each TDO has specific roles but collectively ensure quality, relevance, and national alignment.

• TVET institutions require an integrated management system to maintain quality, efficiency and accountability.

  1. Institutional Management

  • Governance structure (Director, Head of Programme, Board)

  • Academic board and skills competency committee

  • Financial and human resource administration

  2. Programme Management

  • Curriculum implementation planning

  • Workshop/lab management

  • Industry attachment coordination

  • Lecturer training and professional development

  3. Quality Management

  • Academic quality assurance (MQA auditing)

  • Skills quality assurance (JPK auditing)

  • Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) using PDCA cycle

  • Monitoring student performance and employability

  4. Information Management Systems

  • Student Information System (SIS)

  • Learning Management System (LMS)

  • e-Portfolio & digital certification

  • Industry collaboration portals

Malaysia has a diverse ecosystem of TVET providers.

🔵 A. Public TVET Providers

Examples:

• Polytechnics & Community Colleges (MOHE)

• ILP, ADTEC, JMTI under MOHR

• Giat MARA & Kolej Vokasional (MOE)

• Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (KBS)

• Agricultural institutes (MOA)

• MARA Higher Skills Institutes

Characteristics:

• Government-funded

• Lower fees

• Broader access to students

• Requires high compliance to national standards

🟢 B. Private TVET Providers

Examples:

• Accredited skills centres

• Industry-based academies

• Private technical colleges

Characteristics:

• More flexible curriculum

• Industry partnerships often stronger

• Not subsidised by government

• Must comply with MQA/JPK for accreditation

TVET policy implementation requires coordination between ministries, agencies, industry and institutions.

1. Policy Implementation Mechanisms

• National TVET Council (MTVET) directives

• Ministry circulars & guidelines

• Industry collaboration frameworks

• Institutional governance structures

2. Monitoring Mechanisms

• MQA’s programme audit, COPPA, COPIA

• DSD’s accreditation audits & NOSS compliance

• Performance KPI monitoring:

  • Student enrolment

  • Completion rates

  • Graduate employability

  • Industry satisfaction

3. Challenges in Policy Implementation

• Fragmentation across multiple ministries

• Budget constraints

• Mismatch between curriculum & industry needs

• Lecturer competency gaps

• Inconsistent infrastructure

4. Strategies for Effective TVET Policy Governance

• Centralised coordination (MTVET)

• Industry-driven curriculum development

• Regular curriculum updates (CQI)

• Strengthening lecturer industrial training

• Encouraging public–private partnerships (PPP)

Policy and Governance of TVET in Malaysia

1. Malaysia TVET Policies

Malaysia’s TVET system is guided by several national policies aimed at strengthening skills development and supporting economic growth. Key policies include the National TVET Transformation Framework, Shared Prosperity Vision 2030, the Malaysia Education Blueprint, and Industry 4.0 initiatives. These policies emphasise industry-driven programmes, digitalisation, and lifelong learning.

2. TVET Structure and Governance

Malaysia’s TVET governance is multi-ministerial, involving MOHE, MOHR, MOE, KBS, MARA, and others. To reduce fragmentation, the National TVET Council (MTVET) was established as a central coordinating body. TVET pathways operate through MQF (academic) and NOSS (skills), supported by national standards and regulatory frameworks.

3. Training Development Organisations (TDOs)

TDOs play a major role in standardising and ensuring the quality of TVET programmes:

• DSD/JPK – Develops NOSS, accredits skills programmes, manages SKM/DKM/DLKM.

• MQA – Accredits academic TVET programmes under MQF.

• HRD Corp – Manages training funds and supports industry upskilling.

• Industry Lead Bodies (ILBs) – Ensure curriculum meets current industry needs.

4. Management Systems in TVET Institutions

A TVET institution requires effective management systems to ensure programme quality. This includes academic governance, workshop/lab management, scheduling of training, lecturer development, and quality assurance. Institutions use SIS, LMS, e-portfolios, and PDCA-based CQI processes to maintain standards.

5. Public and Private TVET Institutions

Malaysia’s TVET ecosystem consists of both public and private providers.

• Public providers (Polytechnics, ILP, KV, Giat MARA) are government-funded and accessible to all.

• Private providers offer specialised or industry-linked programmes with greater flexibility but must meet JPK/MQA accreditation requirements.

6. Policy Implementation and Monitoring

Effective TVET governance requires proper implementation of policies, supported by monitoring mechanisms such as MQA audits, JPK accreditation reviews, KPI tracking, and industry feedback. Challenges include fragmentation, funding limitations, outdated facilities, and lecturer competency gaps. Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) ensures curriculum relevance and graduate employability.

Overall Summary

Module 3 provides an overview of how Malaysia’s TVET system is shaped, coordinated, and governed. It explains the policies that guide TVET, the multi-agency governance structure, the role of national training bodies, and how institutions implement and monitor programmes. Understanding these components helps students appreciate the complexity and importance of policy, governance, and quality assurance in national TVET development.