KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian education system should be restructured so it produces "career ready" students, says Sabah-based think-tank Wisdom Foundation.

       "One of the underlying causes of unemployment is the Malaysian education system, which prioritises academic achievement as opposed to ensuring career-ready students," its chairman Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau said.

       He said based on Statistics Department figures, there were 728,100 unemployed individuals in the country as of May 2021, with youths making 328,100 of this number.

       "Unemployment is on the rise with limitations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.

       Madius said 580,000 businesses in Malaysia, 49% are from the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector, are at risk of closure by October 2021.

       "Instead of fully utilising the local labour force for work demands, Malaysia has a higher dependence on foreign workers for low-skilled jobs, which decreases opportunities for youths with no tertiary education.

       Madius said that the education system must be restructured to ensure that youths are capable of providing for themselves.

       He also said the government should identify job sectors which need more labour force and encourage students to take these career routes to meet the demands of what is needed to develop Malaysia.