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ITE will play crucial role in SkillsFuture movement

This article is more than 12 months old

The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) will be a key anchor for the SkillsFuture movement as it steps into its next 25 years, said Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

Speaking at the ITE's 25th anniversary celebrations at ITE College Central in Ang Mo Kio yesterday, he said the institute can better support lifelong learning by restructuring its courses for adult learners.

This includes designing "bite-sized" modules with shorter durations of 20 to 60 hours and offering 20 per cent of theory components in continuing education and training courses online.

Lessons should also have a focus on the learning of skills, rather than merely getting a certification.

Mr Tharman, who is also Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies, said the ITE has been "a remarkable success" that many did not expect when the vocational training institute was set up in 1992.

Mr Tharman urged employers and companies to take on a greater role to support the ITE's transformation in the years ahead.

"We need more of the enterprise culture that we see in some of the Northern European countries, where employers take real ownership and pride in training their employees, and collaborating with each other to train people for industry," he said.

He also noted ITE's role in innovation by collaborating with industry on applied research in areas like health and biomedical sciences.

"It is a gem in our education system that will glow in new ways."

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