by DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 28: The Sarawak Cabinet has approved a proposal to implement 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.
According to a statement cited by Bernama today, the Sarawak Education, Innovation and Talent Development Ministry said the Sarawak FTES 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), Law, Medical, Accounting and Finance.
The implementation of Sarawak FTES is expected to commence in 2026, and it will be open to all Sarawakians.
According to the report, the institutions involved include Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Curtin University of Malaysia, University Technology of Sarawak and i-CATS University College.
The Sarawak FTES was approved during the state Cabinet meeting on March 20.
Earlier this month, state 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.
He said the details would include the list of courses and application procedures. – DayakDaily
