KUCHING, March 12, 2025: Sarawak Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn (picture, right) today said all is set for the take-off of the free tertiary education at five state-owned higher institutions next year.
He said the preparations for the start of the free tertiary education have been finalised by the ministry and the higher institutions.
“We are only waiting for the disbursement of funds (from the state government),” he told reporters after the launch of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Catalysts initiative for rural schools for the April-July, 2025 session.
He said the disbursement of funds by the state government is not a problem.
He said the first enrollment for free tertiary into these institutions will be held in February or March next year, after the results of the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) have been out.
He said his ministry does not impose quota on the number of students each institution will take, saying that the enrollment depends of the science courses they offer.
Sagah said the state government only provides free tertiary education to students who take up science courses, such as engineering, computer science and mathematics.
“However, arts courses such as finance, accountancy, law and psychology are included under the free tertiary education initiative,” he said, adding that the state still needs graduates in these subjects.
He said that other arts courses may be considered in stages in future.
He added students taking up mass communication course will not be offered free education, quipping that “there are too many reporters around”.
He said he will release the details of all the courses that come under the free tertiary education initiative in November this year.
In the meantime, he said he wants the students to study hard to enable to achieve good results in their SPM and STPM examinations that will entitle them to free tertiary education.
Sagah dismissed suggestions that rural students would be in a disadvantage position compared to their urban counterparts in their pursuits to take up science courses at the stated-owned institutions.
He said there is no study being carried out to say that the rural students are in a disadvantage position due to the rural environment.
“I believe that the rural students are as good in science subjects as their urban counterparts,” he added.
The five institutions are Swinburne University of Technology (Kuching campus), Curtin University of Technology (Miri campus), University Technology Sarawak in Sibu, I-CATS University College and Centre of Technology Excellence Sarawak.
On the STEM Catalysts for rural schools, he said his ministry has worked with Swinburne University of Technology, University of Technology Sarawak and Curtin University to upskill the teachers to teach coding using the Raspberry Pi to the pupils since 2022.
He added coding is an essential skill, especially now with the advent of artificial intelligence or AI, saying that the future talents must master coding skills to fully harness the potential of AI.
“Studies have conclusively shown that coding trains the mind to solve problems systematically, logically and creatively.
“These are vital skills, no matter which path or career our students choose in their future,” he said.
He said his ministry has experimented with Catalysts in 2024 with schools in Kota Samarahan, Serian and Sri Aman, adding that it was a great success.
“We reached out to over 1,000 pupils in 12 schools. The main feedback we received was schools never seen such deep level of STEM engagement before, at least not at primary school level,” he said.
Sagah said for this year, the teams from his ministry will travel to 18 district education offices to engage with over 6,000 pupils in over 130 primary schools.
“We will start from Lundu in the south, to Kanowit in central Sarawak and on to Baram in the north,” he said.
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