By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 30: Education is the best weapon against poverty, and the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government is preparing to implement free tertiary education for all Sarawakian students enrolled in State-owned universities by 2026 to ensure no one is left behind.
In his Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2025 message, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said this step will give opportunities to all Sarawakians, regardless of their religious and racial background, or socio-economic status, the opportunity to pursue higher education in selected fields.
“Without an initiative like this, Sarawakians from underprivileged families, especially from rural areas, will not be able to further their studies.
“Students from rural areas have the same potential to succeed as those from urban areas, as education is the best weapon to combat poverty. I believe with this step, the economic gap between rural and urban areas will gradually reduce,” he said.
On March 20, the Sarawak Cabinet approved the Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES), which offers free tuition fees and an annual stipend of RM15,000 for students from low-income households.
The scheme covers free tuition fees and a stipend of RM15,000 per year for students from households with a per capita income of RM1,500 per month.
It also involves Sarawak-owned institutes of higher learning and covers programmes such as Undergraduate Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), as well as Law, Medical, Accounting, and Finance.
The implementation of Sarawak FTES is expected to commence in 2026, and it will be open to all Sarawakians.
Institutions involved include Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Curtin University of Malaysia, University Technology of Sarawak, and i-CATS University College.
Sarawak Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn was reported to have said that further details on Sarawak’s free tertiary education initiative would be announced in November. — DayakDaily
