Malacca - Malacca is fast emerging as an education hub and by 2010, the state will have 100,000 students studying there.
At present, its landscape is crowded with institutions of higher learning, academies, training centres and international school catering for locals and foreigners.
Malacca Education and Higher Education Committee Chairman Datuk Yaakub Md Amin is optimistic that the student number can be achieved because last year alone there were a total of 64,000 students in these institutions.
He is confident that with the infrastructure in place, including enough accommodation and a conducive learning environment, definitely more students are going to opt for the state to seek knowledge.
Malacca as at present has 18 public and 22 private institutions of learning.
“The state government always welcomes higher education institutions to set up their campuses in the state,” he said.
He noted that the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM)`s town campus that opened last year, both at Jalan Hang Tuah, within Malacca town, provided a much need boost for the education sector.
The presence of UiTM and UTeM city campus also provided a new lease of life to the Jalan Hang Tuah area after it lost its appeal when the state government`s administrative centre shifted to Seri Negeri, Ayer Keroh in the 1990s and the domestic and express bus terminal to Melaka Sentral.
“Now there are about 200 students studying at the masters level at the UTeM city campus while 2,000 more at the UiTM city campus and their numbers are bound to increase,” he said.
UiTM has its own branch campus in Lendu, Alor Gajah, while the UTeM`s main campus is at Durian Tunggal.
MALACCA SETS UP ITS OWN IPT
At Bukit Beruang near here the Universiti Multimedia (MMU) has carved its niche there with its local and foreign students.
The Institut Perguruan Perempuan Melayu Melaka and a nursing college is also situated there.
The state government has also established several private learning institutions like Kolej Yayasan Melaka (KYM), Kolej Teknologi Islam Antarabangsa Melaka, Kolej Antarabangsa Sains dan Teknologi Melaka, and Kolej Antarabangsa Dunia Melayu Dunia Islam (DMDI).
As for those who are keen on skills, Melaka provides the Pusat Latihan Teknologi Tinggi (ADTEC), Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN), Institut Latihan Perindustrian, Kolej Komuniti and Pusat Giatmara.
There are also the Malaysian Maritime Academy at Kuala Sungai Baru, Customs Academy at Bukit Baru and the Road Transport Department`s Academy at Tiang Dua.
A CATALYST FOR MALACCA`S ECONOMY
With education institutions mushrooming all over, other sectors in the state like the tourism and businesses are also enjoying the spillovers.
Apart from tourism products based on historical assets, the state government is working out new attractions like recreation for the students.
Housing estates and business premises are also mushrooming around the education institutions, further expanding the state`s economy.
With all this in place, Malacca the historical state is set to make history in the field of education.
Source: www.nst.com.my (20 Februari 2008)
