KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita Umno has urged the government to introduce tahfiz schools with vocational and technical subjects for its students.
Datuk Sharifah Maznah Syed Kassim Barakah hoped that the government will consider adding these subjects to equip the students with more skills once they finish school.
The Kedah Wanita Umno chief also said that the move could fulfill the demand for employees with technical and vocational skills, needed to fill 60 per cent of the 1.5 million jobs in 2020.
“This is important for the students' future, so that once they finish school, they can supply the demand for employees with vocational and technical skills.
“The schools can implement subjects following schools with the Ulul Albab programmes and colleges that offer TVET subjects.
“Also, tahfiz schools have seen a rise in the number of students. There are now 1,000 tahfiz schools natiowide with 150,000 students.
“From the numbers, there are 300 unregistered tahfiz schools and hopefully, the government will assist them on the registration process," she said when debating the motion on education at the 71st Umno general assembly.
Meanwhile, she urged the government to ensure that more religious school students are able to continue their studies at a higher level.
Maznah said 93 per cent of tahfiz school students are unable to further their studies to public university-level.
She said public universities should be add more religious-based courses to cater to the students to enable them to be accepted into the institution.