By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, April 10: Construction on Sarawak’s first Islamic international school would begin next year, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the new school’s location has been identified.
“The school is based on an international syllabus where we work together with Singapore’s Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah. Their certificate is recognised by renowned international universities over the world.
“If I am building five international schools, we will also build one Islamic international school that would begin construction next year.
“After this, we would be able to produce prominent Muslim children and enable them to further their studies to a higher level,” he said in his speech during the Samariang-level Tilawah Al-Quran prize presentation ceremony held at Darul Husnul Khatimah Mosque, Kampung Semerah Padi Phase 1 here last night (April 9).
In a previous report dated Dec 9, 2020, Abang Johari mentioned that the Maahad Tahfiz Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub Primary School (Mattary) in Petra Jaya here would be turned into an international primary school while an Islamic secondary school would be built to allow Mattary students to continue their secondary school education.
Meanwhile, on Oct 7 last year, Abang Johari told reporters that the Sarawak government was conducting an extensive study with its Singapore counterpart on establishing the international school.
On the five international schools under Yayasan Sarawak, the first one located at Petra Jaya officially begun operation on April 4, 2022.
The second one which is located at Mile 12, Kuching-Serian Road is currently undergoing construction, with three more located in Sibu, Bintulu and Miri respectively, to follow suit.
For the record, the Sarawak government now fully owns four higher learning institutions in the region, namely Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Curtin University Malaysia, University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), and i-Cats University College, as well as a training centre—Centre of Technical Excellence Sarawak (Centexs). — DayakDaily
