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Montfort Boys Town announced in a statement that all 107 members of its 2026 graduating class attained Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia Level 2 certification. The graduates specialised in automotive technology with 24 completing that track, bakery and pastry with 23, electrical with 21, hospitality with 19, graphic design and multimedia with 11, and facility maintenance with nine. The graduation ceremony carried the theme Powered by Skills, Fuelled by Ambition and was officiated by YB Lee Chean Chung, member of parliament for Petaling Jaya, with Ir Dr Philip Tan Chee Lin, chairman of the board of governors, and Brother Director Robin Devasagayam also present alongside sponsors, partners, parents and employers.
The residential training centre has produced approximately 7,500 graduates since its founding, according to its records. It offers structured skills programmes registered with Malaysia’s Department of Skills Development while providing accommodation and support primarily to youths from low-income families, single-parent households, orphanages or those who have dropped out of conventional schooling. The organisation operates under the guiding tagline Real Life, Real Skills and maintains a focus on practical competencies aligned with industry requirements.
In the statement, Devasagayam said, “Montfort provides the graduates with a KEY of skills and character. With this KEY, the graduates can open the door to their future.” Female Scholar of the Year Wan Kai Qing stressed the values of honesty, integrity and perseverance as essential for success. Male Scholar Looi Wen Ting recounted his personal development, noting a shift from earlier struggles with discipline to greater accountability and self-reliance.
Aaron Barare Kumar, an autistic graduate, delivered the valedictorian address after earning recognitions for good discipline, outstanding improvement and special service. He urged fellow graduates to cultivate resilience when facing obstacles. Montfort Boys Town highlighted its dedication to inclusive technical and vocational education and training for neurodivergent individuals as part of its broader mission.
The institution indicated plans to advance selected programmes to SKM Level 3 and introduce additional certifications in coming years. Risyaah A/P Palanivelu received the Eva Gomez Endowment Fund Award worth RM1,000 during the event. These steps form part of ongoing efforts to widen access to certified vocational pathways for under-served youth.
Government data place TVET enrolment at 439,000 students across 1,368 institutions by 2025, up from 190,000 three years earlier, with participation reaching 53.9 percent and a target of 70 percent by the close of the 13th Malaysia Plan. The National TVET Council has recorded average graduate employability rates above 94 percent, with certain programmes under related ministries achieving 98.7 percent or 100 percent placement. Annual allocations for TVET across 12 ministries have risen steadily to RM7.9 billion, reflecting sustained policy emphasis on aligning skills development with labour-market needs.
