By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 25: Sarawak is intensifying its efforts to build a future-ready workforce, aiming to develop 500,000 skilled workers by 2030 to meet the demands of its rapidly growing sectors such as energy, digital economy, construction, and manufacturing.
Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn said human capital development has become a strategic priority for Sarawak in line with its economic transformation agenda.
“To meet this target, Sarawak must produce at least 30,000 skilled workers annually. This underscores the importance of education and talent development as critical enablers of our growth,” he said when officiating the Australia Northern Territory Education Forum 2025 held at a hotel here today.
The event was also attended by the Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations of the Northern Territory of Australia, Robyn Cahill, alongside the Study NT delegation.
A key initiative highlighted was the Dual Language Programme (DLP Sarawak), introduced in 2020, which positions Sarawak as the only State in Malaysia where Science and Mathematics are taught entirely in English across all government schools.
To evaluate the effectiveness of this policy, Sarawak will roll out a new standardised assessment called UP-DLP Sarawak this October, targeting Year 6 and Form 3 students.
Sagah also emphasised the need for structured and strategic international partnerships aligned with Sarawak’s development priorities.
“We welcome collaboration with the Northern Territory of Australia, especially in areas such as student and lecturer exchange, joint research, teacher capacity-building, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET),” he said.
Sarawak also looks to draw insights from the Northern Territory’s distinctive education practices, particularly in multicultural teaching, engagement with indigenous communities, and vocational training in remote regions.
The forum, he noted, marks a new milestone in Sarawak–Northern Territory relations, building on past successful collaborations in areas such as crocodile management and ecotourism. — DayakDaily
