M'SIA TO CONTINUE PROVIDING INTERNSHIP PLACEMENTS FOR AFRICAN STUDENTS

By Noor Farhana Ahmad Norain

PUTRAJAYA, June 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysian tertiary learning institutions
catering for the increasing number of foreign students are doing their best to
meet the demand for industrial training for undergraduates.

Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities president Dr
Parmjit Singh said, despite facing numerous challenges, more employers
accepted foreign students for intership.

"Although it took some time for the industry to accept foreign students as
interns, the response has now improved," he told the Malaysia-Africa Business
Forum at the Langkawi International Dialogue here Saturday.

Recalling the situation eight years ago when there were hardly 5,000 to
6,000 students needing practical training, Parmjit said it had risen to about
23,000 now.

At the one-day forum opened by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin
Yassin, several participants raised problems faced by African students seeking
industrial training and jobs to gain experience before returning home.

Parmjit said there were some 87,000 foreign students in Malaysia, 30 per
cent of whom required industrial placements at any one time.

This had been a huge challenge but addressed to a great extent, he said.

He said there were also students requiring internship beyond their courses,
adding that it was getting easier now due to changes in the immigration
department requirements.

"Some students were given visas to remain in Malaysia and work, especially
in the essential industry," said Parmjit.

According to the higher education ministry statistics, as of last year,
there were about 20,067 African students in Malaysia.

Nigeria topped the list with 5,817 students; followed by Libya (4,021);
Sudan (2,837); Botswana (1,911); and Somalia, 1,478 students.

-- BERNAMA