IPTS MUST COMPETE WITH IPTA TO MAKE MALAYSIA REGIONAL EDUCATION HUB

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) - Private institutions of higher learning
(IPTS) must compete with public institutions of higher learning (IPTA) to make
Malaysia a regional hub for higher education.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said IPTS should see it in the
context of National Key Economic Activities (NKEA) and tap cluster education
to propel the economy to higher level.

"IPTS has a big role to play what with some 75,000 foreign students in the
country with 150,000 targeted by 2015," he said when opening the new campus of
a college here Thursday.

The Education Minister said IPTS should become factories to produce quality
and highly skilled professionals to meet demands of the new economic model.

"We must dare to compete and create excellence not only at domestic level
but also globally to make Malaysia an international education hub."

He said the government was always monitoring IPTS to ensure that the
subjects offered meet standards and address job market demands.

"The government is making the education sector an economic investment to
attract foreign students."

On the new campus, Muhyiddin hopes that it can elevate the status of
education in the country to be on par with leading foreign institutions.

"I deeply appreciate efforts targeted at students from midle and low income
families who do not get places in IPTA."

Meanwhile, YPC chairman Syed Ali AlHabshee said construction of the
RM32 million (US$10.66 million) campus started in July 2009.

It is equipped with 22 classrooms, 14 tutorial rooms, eight computer and two
multimedia laboratories and art studios that can accommodate 4,000 students.

At the ceremony, 30 Business and Information Technology foundation programme
students received Star-YPC scholarships.