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UUM ONLINE: Bangi - In an effort to address the unemployment problem of graduates during the Covid-19 pandemic situation, the government has channelled an allocation of MYR100 million to the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).

The Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin said, the issuance of the allocation warrant was for the purpose of implementing the Skills Enhancement Programme under the National Economic Reform Plan (PENJANA) Career Advancement Programme or KPT-CAP.

According to him, the KPT Career Development Programme (KPT-CAP) is one of the programmes designed in PENJANA under the initiative of Empowering the People through Skills and Skills Enhancement Programme.

He said, apart from the allocation of MYR100 million to MOHE, for the implementation of the first phase, the government has also channelled allocations to several other ministries and agencies involving a total of MYR2 billion for the Skills and Skills Enhancement Programme.

“The Skills and Skills Enhancement Programme not only look into efforts to address the problem of unemployed graduates but will also ensure that workers who lose their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic period maintain or enhance their skills.

"Unlike the standard skills enhancement programme, the KPT-CAP PENJANA Programme , a programme which is the first of its kind,  is unique because graduates will be guaranteed jobs after they successfully complete the set courses," he said, officiating the National Economic Reform Plan (PENJANA) Career Advancement Programme or KPT-CAP at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), recently.

According to the Prime Minister, the fact of the matter remains that universities have produced many graduates who are recognized nationally and internationally in certain fields including entrepreneurship.

He said entrepreneurship should be seen as a branch that bears incredible potential in terms of career fields that can be explored by students and graduates. It will generate income for entrepreneurs and would also create jobs and other kinds of employment opportunities for others through business.

“It is to my understanding that MOHE is currently actively developing the HEI Entrepreneurship Action Plan 2021-2025 to ensure the continuation of the empowerment of the entrepreneurship agenda in HEIs through the action plan that will end this year.

"I fervently hope the action plan produced will be able to uphold the entrepreneurial agenda at HEIs more comprehensively through the complete strengthening of the entrepreneurial ecosystem," he said.

Also present at the event were the Minister of Higher Education, Dato' Dr. Noraini Ahmad and the Minister of Finance, Senator Tengku Dato’ Sri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.