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The Education Ministry has outlined a phased approach to introduce vocational education at earlier stages of schooling.

Acknowledging the prevailing imbalance between academic and vocational streams, Permanent Secretary Selina Kuruleca says proposed reforms is the integration of vocational training from an early stage.

Vocational learning is widely explored from Year 11 onwards.

The PS says they plan to include lowering the entry point for vocational training, with initiatives to commence vocational education as early as Year 9 by 2026.

“By 2026, it is our intention that when you are entering Year 9, you will know whether you’re going to do mainstream subjects, like what we’re doing today, or you will have the Certificate 1 option of continuing with the vocational. A vocational needs to be an option. It’s not a second option, or maybe it is an option because 80% of our workforce is skills-based.”

Kuruleca aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical workforce requirements through the establishment of specialized resource centers termed “incubators.”

“You come and you accelerator courses for four, six weeks, you’ll be work-ready, and then you’ll go into the workforce. So this is a concept that we’re now budgeting for we’re proposing to the Ministry of Finance. And the idea behind it is not all of us will come out of graduate school, or any school for that matter, and be able to go and work right away.”

As discussions continue and plans take shape, the government remains resolute in its mission to redefine education, ensuring that vocational pathways receive the attention and respect they deserve.