By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Oct 13: A total of 192 Sarawak students holding the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) are currently benefiting from tuition fee coverage under the Sarawak government’s Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES), with a pass in Bahasa Malaysia not compulsory for eligibility.
Deputy Minister of Education and Innovation Datuk Dr Annuar Rapee said the policy reflects Sarawak’s commitment to providing equal educational opportunities to all deserving Sarawakians, regardless of race, ethnicity or educational background.
He emphasised that the scheme was designed to help students further their studies, develop their skills and talents, and contribute to the State’s economic transformation.
“As of June 30 this year, 192 UEC students are being offered free tuition fee coverage under FTES. Of the total, 137 are studying at Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, 21 at Curtin University Malaysia in Miri, 33 at the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) in Sibu, and one at i-CATS University College.
“The inclusion of UEC holders demonstrated the Sarawak government’s commitment to ensuring that no deserving Sarawakian was denied educational opportunities,” he said in responding to Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How during the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUNS) sitting today.
He stressed that Bahasa Malaysia proficiency was not a prerequisite for UEC holders to qualify for admission to participating universities or receive FTES tuition fee coverage.
“The answer is no. We do not need Bahasa Melayu to qualify them to enter our universities, and also to be given free tertiary education,” he said.
However, he explained that UEC holders must meet the same applicable academic and programme-specific admission requirements as other students.
These include obtaining at least five Grade Bs in the UEC Senior Middle Level examination, alongside other relevant entry requirements, while certain programmes may also require additional prerequisite subjects, such as Mathematics, Additional Mathematics and Physical Science.
“UEC holders are eligible so long they could secure admission to any of the State-owned universities for any of the 64 courses covered under FTES. They will automatically receive the tuition fee coverage, subject to fulfilling the scheme’s applicable requirements,” he said.
Dr Annuar said students did not need to submit a separate application specifically for FTES, as the benefit would be granted automatically upon meeting the eligibility criteria through admission to the relevant programmes.
“This policy shows a vast difference in what we have adopted. I hope this is a very clear message to all the people of Sarawak, particularly the UEC holders, that you are not different from others,” he said.
He added that the policy was rooted in the belief that education should serve as a means of lifting people out of poverty and promoting social mobility, particularly among rural communities.
However, Dr Annuar advised UEC students to develop a strong command of English, noting that English was the principal medium of instruction at the four participating institutions.
“Individual universities might impose different English-language proficiency requirements, including assessments based on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), depending on their respective admission criteria,” he added.
On industrial placements, Dr Annuar said UEC holders would be treated in the same way as other students, provided they secured placements with relevant industries.
He said their UEC qualification would not result in different treatment during industrial training, reinforcing the State’s position that eligible students should have equal access to educational and career development opportunities. — DayakDaily
