MUKAH: It is not impossible that one day there would be a polytechnic without a physical presence or structure in Malaysia and the world.
Disclosing this yesterday, Ministry of Education’s Polytechnic and College Department director-general Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Ismail Abd Aziz said it could be so following the explosion of modern technologies.
“We could envisage that one day there is a polytechnic that is without its physical presence. This has been proven with the existence of Uber the world’s largest taxi company that owns no vehicles, Alibaba Group the most valuable retailer with no inventory and Airbnb the world’s largest accommodation provider with no real estate,” he said.
He said this while speaking at a special gathering with students of Polytechnic Mukah Sarawak (PMU) at its multi-purpose hall near here.
As such, he urged the students of PMU to think big and never ever look down on themselves or the institution.
“Our Prime Minister considers technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as the nation’s game changer. You have to be confident in PMU and when people ask you where you studied don’t say `dekat PMU aje’ (at PMU only). Polytechnic is the start of greater things to happen to you, and the best way to predict the future is to create it, and you can create it starting at PMU,” he said.
The students, he added, should be proactive by starting to shape their future right now at PMU and place themselves at their desired goals within ten years.
“You are the movers of where you would be in the future,” he said.
On the recognition of polytechnics, he said nine polytechnics in Malaysia had achieved Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC) gold-level status and hoped PMU would one day be in the list for this Asia Pacific Awards.
“Besides that, our students also won in a number of international competitions. So, I hope the students in PMU would get involved in as many activities as possible,” he said.
Dr Ismail added that the fourth industrial revolution would demand and place more emphasis on the ability of workers to adapt continuously and learn new skills and approaches within a variety of contexts.
