KOTA TINGGI: The lack of interest of Malaysian youths in higher education and the issue of cost reductions for universities will be addressed by the government, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

“There have been a lot of changes, especially after Covid-19. A lot of things need attention and a deep understanding before we can come up with solutions to address these issues," said the Higher Education Minister.

Khaled said that a new tertiary education agenda would be rolled out next January which will address all concerns involving his ministry.

He added that this agenda will address all of the concerns involving the ministry and the way forward for lifting up the education level in the country.

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“Currently, I am attending a briefing by the ministry and the Higher Education Department on the challenges in the higher education landscape.

He said this when met by The Star after attending the meet-and-greet session with the Kota Tinggi community at the Dewan Muafakat Taman Pasak Indah here on Sunday (Dec 11).

The Kota Tinggi MP added that the new direction would also address the production of higher-quality human capital and local talent, which was in line with the government's effort in making the country a hub for higher education.

“There are so many things that we want to share, and I prefer to do this one day (in January) so that I detail our agenda for the country," said Khaled.

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“It’s not like we have prepared all the things we need to do once we come into the office; we have plans, but they still need time to be prepared before we can share them with the country,” he added.

The new agenda will also focus on securing the higher education plans for the future, the current level of higher education in the country, and the potential efforts made by the ministry to address its challenges.