By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Feb 11: Sarawak is laying a strong foundation for its future workforce through the introduction of free tertiary education, with early indicators pointing to a marked surge in enrolments in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
Implemented this year at four government-owned higher education institutions, the Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) has garnered an overwhelmingly positive response, underscoring growing public confidence in the Sarawak government’s commitment to producing skilled, industry-ready graduates.
In a Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) news, Yayasan Sarawak director Datu Mohamad Junaidi Mohidin revealed that preliminary registration data shows a significant uptick in STEM-related programmes.
“So far, the feedback has been very encouraging. Based on ongoing registrations at several government-owned universities in Sarawak, we are seeing a notable increase in enrolments, particularly in STEM courses,” he said during a press conference after a courtesy call on Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at the Satria Pertiwi Complex today.
He noted that the strong response reflects public trust in the State government’s efforts to widen access to higher education while building a capable workforce to drive Sarawak’s long-term development.
Beyond FTES, Mohamad Junaidi emphasised that Yayasan Sarawak continues to provide a broad spectrum of financial assistance to Sarawakian students.
“Under the Yayasan Sarawak, various forms of educational financing are available, including full scholarships and loan-based scholarships for those pursuing tertiary studies,” he said.
The rising interest in STEM fields comes as Sarawak advances its ambition of becoming a technology-driven, high-income economy, one that demands expertise in innovation, engineering and digital industries.
Through free tertiary education, Mohamad Junaidi expressed hope that more young Sarawakians will seize the opportunity to equip themselves with in-demand skills and play an active role in shaping the State’s future growth. — DayakDaily
