Language:
Search
 

GIATMARA
Malaysia

The Problem

Malaysia's multi-racial society contains many ethnic groups. Malays comprise a majority of just over 50%. About a quarter of the population is ethnic Chinese, a group which historically played an important role in trade and business. Malaysians of Indian descent comprise about 7% of the population and include Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians. Non-Malay indigenous groups combine to make up approximately 11% of the population. Population density is highest in peninsular Malaysia, home to some 20 million of the country's 27,728.7 million inhabitants (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2007). The remaining 7 million live on the Malaysian portion of the island of Borneo in the large but less densely-populated states of Sabah and Sarawak. More than half of Sarawak's residents and about two-thirds of Sabah's are from indigenous groups. In Malaysia, the number of reported cases of social problems such as poverty, retrenchment, drug addicted, loafing and juvenile delinquencies has been on rise (Ruzita, M.A., Selamah, A.Y. & M. Aslam, M.H., 2006). Because of that, GIATMARA as a skills training institution under the administration of MARA, specializing in the training of basic community unit and opened to all generations was part of a strategy to assist the government to reduce the social problems. GIATMARA’s core training programs are targeted to the youth and local community. The programs are created based on the concepts of modular training; hands-on and employable skills that are in tune with market needs and provided free of charge. These duration of the programs vary from 6 to 12 months (GIATMARA Guide Book, 2008). The main target of GIATMARA is to create more trainees who will be able to survive independently and GIATMARA has a target to create at least 10,000 skills based micro entrepreneurs.

Solution and Key Benefits

 What is the initiative about? (the solution)
GIATMARA training program focuses on employable skills, with subjects taught on modular/project basis. 80% of the lessons are hands-on training and 20% are theory. When necessary, mobile training is put in place. Training is offered on the basis of ‘Open entry-open exit’ basis, whereby students may start class anytime, provided there are vacancies. Besides that, GIATMARA provides Lifelong Learning courses to current students and interested individuals through its various short courses program such as tailoring, house building, electrical and other relevant skills catered to the local community needs and requirements. This program enables to improve the social standing of the community through new career and business opportunities. Until the end of 2007, over 75,000 students succeeded to gain employment upon graduation; over 15,500 students became self employed persons, and over 2700 students went on to become entrepreneurs. Under the entrepreneurship banner, GIATMARA, as a part of MARA’s IPMa or training centers, GIATMARA has become an integral part of the ‘Conversion from Technical to Entrepreneur’ program, whereby graduates are provided entrepreneurship programs such as the Incubator Program, PUTEK, and entrepreneurs network, to help launch their entrepreneurship ventures. GIATMARA itself has been given the target to create 11,000 new Bumiputra entrepreneurs by the end of the year 2010. This programs above will enable the creation of certified skill workers that are independent thus eradicate poverty in the rural area, reduce the migration from rural to urban areas, reduce unemployment, narrow down the economic gap and to reduce high-risk ethnic social problem.

Actors and Stakeholders

 Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
On 12th January 1986, the first GIATMARA centre located in Jitra, Kedah opened it’s door or the firs time to the first batch of GIATMARA trainees. It was a day in history that became witness to the beginning of a new era in skills training in Malaysia, whereby academic qualification was no longer the main criteria in the selection of trainees, in the fact, the system emphasizes on building an educational legacy in the form of hands-on technical-based Life Long Learning system.

One of the main catalysts that has brought GIATMARA into existence was the government’s policies articulated in the Malaysia Plans (RMK), particularly the implementation of the Malaysia Industrial Policy in Fifth Malaysia Plan (RMK5), i.e. during the period of 1986-2000. This policy envisioned an increase in the need for human resource in the form of engineers, skills workers and semi-skills workers in various industrial sectors. The government has identified that the technical and vocational training skills programs were on of the best investment to ensure that the target would be achieved.

The birth of GIATMARA as a Skills Training Institution under the administration of MARA, specializing in the training of basic community unit and opened to all generations was part of strategy to ensure that the rural communities could participate and enjoy the benefits of this development as active participants.

MARA is a government agency created to assists the Bumiputera in entrepreneurship and educational training. One of the programs planned was to create a Mobile Basic Training Center. The planning began in 1984, and it was moulded to concentrate on technical education to be brought to villages on mobile caravans. The caravan would travel from village to village after the completion of each module, and offer courses in the community halls. The objective was to improve technical literacy amongst the rural Malays, as to encourage the sense of independence within the village community through promotion of entrepreneurship programs and creation of garages.

Under Dato’ Mohd Ridzuan Bin Abdul Halim, the Director General of MARA, the concept was further explored as a group that included the staff of the Cawangan Kemahiran MARA, including Puan Meriyam Majid and Encik Nik Abdulah. The concept paper was completed in 1985 and as a number of courses were put into practice in a number of villages, including in Slim River, Perak. The idea was finalized and the top management of MARA started a prototype in the form Pusat GIAT Jitra, Kedah in Januaray 1986 utilizing internal expenditure. The final paper was presented to the 148th MARA Council meeting on the 6 May 1986.

(a) Strategies

 Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
 a.      What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
GIATMARA is a non-profit education institution that provides skills training and life-long learning to the community. GIATMARA is a subsidiary of MARA which is a government agency created to assist the Bumiputera (indigenous people) in entrepreneurship and education training. The programs objectives are to increase the number of trained Bumiputera professionals, technical as well as management workers in line with the country’s needs towards achieving the vision of “Bumiputera Commerce and Industrial Society” (MPPB). The main strategy was to:

1) Enable GIATMARA to differ itself from the others being the only skills training institution that targeted school dropouts, retrenched workers and the hardcore poor as students. This affirmative action meant GIATMARA courses were offered for free, with the minimum requirement of the “3M” which are:
• Membaca (Able to Read)
• Menulis (Able to Write)
Minat (Interested in their choose field)

Citizen Engagement: By establishing a GIATMARA center at the heart of the community based on the local community needs
Conversion: Enables skill workers to become entrepreneurs.
Smart Partnership: Enable GIATMARA to collaborate with corporate companies to share training cost and expertise. GIATMARA also collaborate with other government agencies such as the Aboriginal Department (dropouts), National Anti Drug Agency (social reform), Prison Department (social reform) & the Federal Land Development Authority (Poverty & Dropouts)

(b) Implementation

 b.      What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
The GIAT concept was different from other skills training at the time in a number of ways. The entry requirements were simplified parallel to the aspirations of MARA which wanted to apply the open concept similar to the Community Colleges that provided Life Long Learning based training. The Bumiputra Commerce and Industrial Community Policy were applied where 80% of the graduating trainees were expected to become entrepreneurs.

The courses were run in short term to attract the interests of trainees, except the electrical wiring course which ran for 1 year. The experiment to offer part time courses in the evening began in Slim River, Perak where car repair course were offered. For certain courses, especially buidling technology, the trainees underwent insitute training to provide them the experience of handling project under the supervision of the trainers. It was a low risk method and it allowed them to train further without additional material cost involved. The low cost housing for the hardcore poor (Projek Perumahan Rakat Termiskin-PPRT) was also one of the project that allowed the trainees to gain practical experience. To ensure that the program reached its target to create skills-based entrepreneurs, the ex-trainees were given facilities to use equipment in the centers until they could be independent and they were eligible to receive financial assistance from other organizations such as MARA or financial institutions. In 1986, when the MARA Council meeting was held in Jitra, the management took the opportunity to show all present including the media the step-by-step learning module for building technology in the form of a video recording. Dr Haji Hashim Bin Ahmad (First General Manager of GIATMARA) believed that political will was very important in promoting the interest of education in the society. In his efforts to secure new locations for the new GIAT for example, Dr Hashim praised the decision of the Johor’s Chief minister at the time, i.e. Tan Sri Muhiyiddin Yassin who approved the buidling of 23 GIAT centers in Johor in the State Asembly as good planning.

In fact, the annoucement made by the previous Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, after his visit to Pusat GIAT Jitra, in the Malaysia Cabinet meeting, to build one GIATMARA in every parliamentary consituency had helped GIAT in terms os securing infrastructure and to elevate GIAT into a stronger position in offering skills training courses.

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

 c.      What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
The main obstacles encountered by GIATMARA is to develop and nurture students with minimal or no formal education to continue their studies to a higher level education. In order to overcome this obstacle GIATMARA has formed smart partnership with higher level education institution to develop a bridging program tailored made to the needs of GIATMARA students.

Developing Entrepreneurs among the dropout students / poor. In order to overcome this obstacle GIATMARA has developed ‘Conversion from Technical to Entrepreneur’ program, whereby interested graduates are given a number alternatives, i.e. the Incubator, PUTEK and Entrepreneurs Network, to help launch their entrepreneurship ventures.

(d) Use of Resources

 d.      What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
GIATMARA operates on minimal operational cost, with skeletal staffing just enough to start the classes. As such, it is not strange to find GIATMARA operating in old cinemas, community centers and old police stations. These centers are slowly being upgraded to new stations as per local community requirements. GIATMARA’s financial resources are divided into two sections. Development Budget & Management Budget. Development budget is being utilized for the center’s infrastructure and equipment purchasing purposes while management budget is being utilized for the student’s allowances, training materials, payroll and utilities. Each resources are being controlled by headquarters, divided to 14 states managers and each center will managed their own resources. Each center has a minimum of 3 courses whereby each course are being handled by two trainers.

Sustainability and Transferability

  Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
GIATMARA’s success has not eluded the eye of the government and other bodies associated with skills training. In 2004, GIATMARA was chosen to become the content provider for PETRONAS Training Center in Sudan in the field of automotive. GIATMARA has begun to provide training in the area of Air conditioning as well.

Before Sudan, GIATMARA has been selected to provide many other skills training for participants from other countries as well. 1996 year, 93 ex-combatant from Namibia received training in Selangor, Malaysia. GIATMARA had also trained Timor Leste’s nationals. In the year 1994, GIATMARA sent trainers to be stationed in Cambodia as a part of the rural development program by United Nations Development Program (UNDP). In 2003, GIATMARA was involved in another UNDP training program in Thailand, and in 2007, GIATMARA was given the responsibility to train 50 students from Southern Thailand under the Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (JDS) program.

Lessons Learned

 What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
Beginning with a small step, GIATMARA has now ventured successfully into many organizational and skills competitions that pit the best trainees in many sectors of industries. In 1993, GIATMARA began sending participants in the 5th Malaysia Skills Competition. Even though it came back empty handed, the 6th Malaysia Skills Competition 1995 proved that ‘practice makes perfect’. GIATMARA won 4 gold medals, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes in the competition. Since then, there is no looking back.

Year after year, GIATMARA brought home numerous medals and, what’s more important, began producing excellent students who won these competitions to represent Malaysia in the ASEAN Skills Competitions and WorldSkills Competitions. It only took GIATMARA two years to grab these opportunities, as the 1st student began to represent Malaysia in WorldSkills Competition in France, 1995. So far, GIATMARA won the most medals in the 2005 Malaysia Skills Competition, bringing back 17 medals including six gold medals.

GIATMARA participant won a gold medal in the 2006 ASEAN Skills Competition for Malaysia, making it the first for GIATMARA in this competition, and brought back the Medallion of Excellence in the 2007 WorldSkills Competition in Shizuoka, Japan. Since 1995, GIATMARA has never failed to send participants to the WorldSkills Competition. As an organization itself, GIATMARA has been recognized as the best skills training institution by the Malaysia Skills Competition by winning the coveted “ANUGERAH TANGAN EMAS” (Prime Minister’s Golden Hand Award) eight times in 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007.

The Malaysia Skills Competition are not the only one that GIATMARA excels. In the National Innovation Competition (NICE) 2007, GIATMARA became the champion for National Innovation Award (Grassroots Level Category).

Contact Information

Institution Name:   GIATMARA
Institution Type:   Government Agency  
Contact Person:   Normen Mukhtar
Title:   Mr  
Telephone/ Fax:  
Institution's / Project's Website:  
E-mail:   normen@mara.gov.my  
Address:  
Postal Code:  
City:  
State/Province:  
Country:   Malaysia

          Go Back
Print friendly Page