KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 — Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the growing number of SPM graduates opting for TVET shows the vocational route is gaining prominence and should be recognised as a central part of the country’s education landscape.

He said it is time for TVET to be positioned as a mainstream education route that carries equal standing with academic pathways.

“Data also shows that more than half of SPM graduates are now choosing the TVET pathway. This indicates that TVET is no longer a second choice, but is becoming a primary choice.

“A developed nation is built on skilled manpower that drives industry and economic growth. It is time to elevate TVET as a respected, high value and prestigious educational pathway,” he said in his concluding remarks at the Umno education congress here today.

Zahid, who is also the deputy prime minister, said that he is committed to advancing the TVET agenda, noting that the sector has demonstrated employability rates exceeding 98 per cent, with some institutions achieving up to 99 per cent.

He said education must go beyond producing workers but also build citizens who understand history, respect the Constitution, uphold the institutions of the Malay Rulers, and preserve national identity.

“We want a generation with a global mindset but firmly rooted in national identity.

“We do not want a generation that is technologically literate but historically ignorant,” he added.