Responding to the government’s launch of its National TVET Policy 2030, the group said universities should not be extensions of TVET education, but must rather complement it.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a Facebook post on Saturday he believed TVET in the country could be “uplifted and expanded in the learning sector, starting at school level up to higher education institutions”.

However, Gerak said universities should be primarily focused on research, “the dissemination of competing ideas” and pedagogy.

“Universities offer students a combination of theoretical knowledge, critical thinking skills, and some practical training in the form of field research and short-term industrial and corporate internships.

“Students may gain industry-based exposure via internships, but these must be treated as a small but important segment of the larger university educational experience,” it said in a statement.

Gerak also said universities must not be solely devoted to the business of preparing graduates for the job market, and that TVET was meant to train students in job-specific skills.

“Therefore, the two must be conceptualised separately, but at the same time, complement each other in the final outcome,” it said.

Launched on Saturday, the National TVET Policy 2030 aims to align TVET programmes with industry demands, and outlines 23 strategies and 67 key initiatives to empower the sector and enhance Malaysia’s global competitiveness.