The Malaysian Education Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Multimedia University and Huawei Technologies Malaysia on May 18 to strengthen AI-focused Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in fully residential schools [1, 2]. The initial rollout of the TVET-AI programme is planned for 2026 across five selected fully residential schools before expanding to others [1, 3, 2].
The five schools chosen for the inaugural phase are Sekolah Menengah Sains Banting (Selangor), Sekolah Menengah Sains Setiu (Terengganu), Sekolah Menengah Sains Alor Gajah (Melaka), Sekolah Menengah Sains Kuching (Sarawak), and Sekolah Menengah Sains Tun Syed Sheh Shahabudin (Penang) [1, 3, 2].
The programme aims to enhance academic performance and equip students with future-ready technical skills through AI integration. The Education Ministry noted this aligns with ongoing education reforms [1, 2].
Students enrolled in the programme will have the opportunity to earn the Huawei Certified ICT Associate - Artificial Intelligence (HCIA-AI) professional certification. The ministry highlighted that this certification is internationally recognized and would significantly boost student employability [1, 3, 2]. “This strategic initiative adds significant value to the ministry's efforts to enhance student employability through the Huawei Certified ICT Associate – Artificial Intelligence (HCIA-AI) professional certification, which is internationally recognised,” the Education Ministry said [3].
The TVET-AI programme supports the goals of Malaysia’s 13th Malaysia Plan and the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2026–2035, focusing on developing future talent, strengthening the TVET ecosystem, and promoting collaboration between industry and academia [1, 3, 2].
Implementation will begin in 2026 with the five selected schools, marking the first concrete step in integrating AI into TVET across Malaysia's fully residential schools [1, 3, 2].
