BESUT: The Education Ministry needs to focus on developing skilled and semi-skilled manpower to reduce dependence on foreign workers, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.
He said all polytechnics had important roles in this and he hoped that vocational training institutes would train more skilled and semi-skilled workers.
"Polytechnics should increase their capacity to produce such graduates from the present 500 to 5,000," he said at the ground-breaking of Politeknik Besut near Bukit Keluang.
Politeknik Besut, costing RM167 million, will be the 34th in the country and the fourth polytechnics in Terengganu.
The government is also looking at the possibility of building the 35th polytechnic in Bagan Datoh, Perak.
Zahid said: "We want to confine foreign workers to 3-D jobs - dirty, dangerous and difficult jobs. We do not want too many foreign workers here.
"Although the Higher Education Ministry has set a target of producing 100,000 skilled and semi-skilled manpower, 5,000 should be its early target," he said.
He said he was happy that 85 per cent of polytechnic students could secure jobs within six months after their graduation.
He said nearly 50 per cent of them enrolled in the polytechnics with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia qualification.
He said education was the most important sector as it developed the nation's assets.
"It is a long-term investment and commitment. It contributes towards improving social status of the people.
"Without education there will be none of us here," he said pointing to Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh at the event.
Zahid later presented aid to recipients under the Welfare Department and Yayasan Islam Terengganu.
Meanwhile, Razif said the state government intended to turn Besut into an education hub in Terengganu and that it had received almost RM1 billion to achieve this objective.