By Dayangku Hidayatul
KUCHING, Aug 26: Sarawak’s ambition to become a prosperous, inclusive and high-income State by 2030 will depend on its ability to develop a highly skilled and innovative workforce capable of navigating rapid economic and technological change.
Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Dato Sri Dr Roland Sagah Wee Inn said strong and consistent economic growth, coupled with rapid technological advancement, would require a workforce equipped to adapt to emerging challenges while driving new opportunities.
“In our efforts to realise the aspirations of the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) to transform Sarawak into a prosperous, inclusive and high-income developed State by 2030, we need strong and consistent economic growth and rapid technological advancement.
“We also need a highly skilled and innovative workforce that is prepared to face the challenges of the future,” he said in his speech at the PETRONAS Education Sponsorship Excellent Student Awards Ceremony (Sarawak) – Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2025 at Pullman Hotel here today.
Sagah said education must therefore be viewed as more than an avenue for individual academic achievement, describing it as a strategic investment in human capital that would shape Sarawak’s future and underpin long-term prosperity.
He said education had the power to transform lives, strengthen communities, nurture talent and empower individuals to contribute meaningfully to society, the State and the country.
He said initiatives such as the PETRONAS Education Sponsorship – Memperkasakan Ilmu Sarawak provided qualified students with access to quality education while broadening their knowledge, skills and experiences.
He described the initiative as an investment in developing more professionals and future leaders who could contribute to Sarawak’s continued growth and development.
Sagah urged the sponsorship recipients to make full use of the opportunities afforded to them to acquire knowledge, develop their potential and enhance their capabilities.
He also reminded them to pursue intellectual excellence alongside strong character, integrity and a firm sense of identity, while remaining grounded in the values instilled by their families.
He said the knowledge, skills and experiences gained through education would ultimately enable the students to contribute meaningfully to Sarawak and Malaysia.
Sagah also acknowledged the sacrifices made by families and the guidance provided by teachers and mentors in supporting students throughout their educational journeys.
He thanked PETRONAS for its continued commitment to empowering Sarawak’s younger generation through education.
Meanwhile, PETRONAS awarded education sponsorships to more than 100 deserving Sarawakian students under its flagship PETRONAS Powering Knowledge Education Sponsorship (PPKES) programme.
The sponsorship awards were presented by Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi.
Also present were Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah and PETRONAS senior general manager, Education & Human Capital Investment, Group Human Resource Management, Akmal Niza Ahmad.
The recipients, outstanding SPM 2025 school leavers from diverse backgrounds, were selected from more than 7,000 applicants based on academic excellence, leadership potential and active participation in co-curricular activities.
They will pursue tertiary education in fields including engineering, science, technology, data analytics, business and social sciences at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) and leading universities in Malaysia and abroad, including institutions in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. — DayakDaily
