By Karen Bong
KUCHING: New school leavers in Sarawak will have their tuition fully covered under the State’s Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) as long as they successfully apply and enrol in any of the 64 programmes offered at the four Sarawak-owned universities.
The universities are Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Curtin University Malaysia, University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), and i-CATS University College.
Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn said the first batch of 4,693 beneficiaries are existing university students in their second to fourth years for the 2026 academic year.
New school leavers, including those who sat for the 2025 public examinations sucha as Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and the Unified Examination Certification (UEC) for Chinese schools, will also be covered once they apply and are accepted into the identified courses.
“As long as the students are enrolled in the 64 courses identified, they will get free education under FTES,” he told members of the press after the launch of FTES by Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at Raia Hotel and Convention Centre today.
He added that applications by new school leavers will begin once they receive their SPM results, ahead of the new semester starting in February 2026.
Earlier in his speech, Sagah described FTES as a “key pillar of Sarawak’s economic and social trajectory,” noting that the scheme is the product of strategic foresight and a strong co mmitment to educational equity.
He highlighted that the scheme was first proposed by Abang Johari in the 2023 State Assembly budget speech, aiming to remove financial barriers and allow talented young Sarawakians to pursue quality university education without the burden of debt.
“My Ministry has worked diligently with relevant agencies to develop a robust framework for FTES. Its implementation is a testament to cross-ministerial collaboration, extensive planning, and Cabinet approval, ensuring the scheme is fiscally sound and ready for immediate rollout,” he said.
The scheme focuses on undergraduate degree programmes in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Medicine, Law, Accounting, Finance, and Psychology to align with Sarawak’s talent development priorities.
Programmes include various engineering disciplines, computer science, robotics, mechatronics, cybersecurity, data science, applied geology, mobile game development, food technology, creative digital media, and more.
FTES covers not only tuition fees but also provides a monthly stipend to support basic living expenses. Additional financial support of RM15,000 per year is allocated for students from households with a monthly per capita income of RM1,500 or less, including RM5,000 for accommodation through the designated SIHL Housing Unit and RM10,000 via SPay Global, which supports the DuitNow QR platform.
Sagah said the FTES represents a “critical investment in access, opportunity, and financial freedom for students, the very engine room of social mobility,” and embodies the Premier’s long-standing vision for a sustainable, digitally enabled future for Sarawak. — DayakDaily
