Latest news with #RolandSagah
The Star
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
First state-level test in Oct
KUCHING: Year Six pupils in Sarawak will sit for the state's inaugural Ujian Penilaian Dual Language Programme (UPDLP) on Oct 15 and 16, says state Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah. He said the UPDLP is a standardised assessment for Year Six and Form Three students taking the dual language programme in Sarawak, covering the three core subjects of Science, Mathematics and English. 'The examination papers for these subjects are developed by our local expert teachers, ensuring they are tailored to the programme's specific needs and context. 'Crucially, all examination papers will also be thoroughly vetted and verified by Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUP&A). This rigorous process guarantees that the assessments meet international standards,' he said in his winding-up speech at the Sarawak legislative assembly yesterday. Sagah said Swinburne Innovation Malaysia (SWIM) signed a contract service agreement with CUP&A in Cambridge, England, on April 30 to formalise the international partnership. 'This initiative is a collaborative effort by my ministry, the Education Ministry, the state Education Department, SWIM and our state-owned universities. 'It underscores our commitment to ensuring the standard of education in Sarawak continues to meet global standards,' he added. On Sarawak's free tertiary education scheme (FTES), Sagah said it would benefit 10,000 eligible Sarawakian students when it starts next year. He said the scheme, which was approved by the state government in March, is estimated to cost RM300mil in its first year. 'The FTES will first focus on undergraduate degrees in STEM-related fields, law, medicine, accounting, finance and psychology. 'However, other financial assistance is available in the form of scholarships or loans provided by Yayasan Sarawak to cater for any other courses, so nobody is left out,' Sagah said. To a question by Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Padungan), who sought clarification on why the scheme is not offered for all courses, Sagah said FTES is still in its initial stage. 'We must spend wisely, and we also look at the talents required by the state in the next few years. 'It doesn't mean that now we offer it for these courses and stop at that,' he added.
New Straits Times
26-05-2025
- Science
- New Straits Times
Sarawak allocates RM20mil to provide free tuition to weak SPM students
KUCHING: Sarawak has allocated RM20 million this year to support a programme aimed at improving students' performances, particularly in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination. A core element of the Sarawak Enhancement Education Programme (SEEP) is the provision of free tuition to students, specifically targeting those students who have not passed their school-based examinations. State Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah told the state assembly today the initiative was a testament to Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg's on-going commitment to strengthening education in Sarawak. He said the programme focused on Form 3 students, offering tuition in core subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science, and History. For upper secondary students, he said the programme extends to include tuition for all pure science subjects. "The overarching objective is to enhance students' readiness for STEM-related courses at tertiary level and to prepare them for future careers within STEM fields," he told the state legislative when winding up debates on his ministry. "Beyond free tuition, SEEP encompasses a range of supplementary activities. "These include the development of comprehensive learning modules for both teachers and students, the creation of a dedicated SEEP Management System, and the organisation of various webinars and workshops. "Furthermore, the programme facilitates crucial engagement sessions with teachers and parents."
The Star
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Sarawak FTES to cost RM300mil in first year, says state education minister
State Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah (seated centre) speaking to reporters at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly media room on Monday (May 26). KUCHING: Sarawak's free tertiary education scheme (FTES) is estimated to cost RM300mil in its first year of implementation, says Datuk Seri Roland Sagah. The state Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister estimated that about 10,000 students were eligible for the scheme when it starts next year. "In the following year, the amount will be more as the number of students increases," he told a press conference after delivering his winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly on Monday (May 26). Sagah also said over 9,000 eligible Sarawakian students at institutions of higher learning in Malaysia had received free laptops under an initiative launched last year. Additionally, he said some 3,000 students had received book vouchers worth RM500 to date. The free laptop and book voucher assistance is meant for Sarawakian students from families with a per capita income of RM1,500 and below, who are studying full-time at public or private higher learning institutions across Malaysia. In his speech earlier, Sagah said FTES was only for Sarawakian students at state-owned institutions comprising Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Curtin University of Malaysia, University of Technology Sarawak and i-CATS University College. He said the scheme would first focus on undergraduate degrees in STEM-related fields, law, medicine, accounting, finance and psychology. "However, there is other financial assistance in the form of scholarships or loans provided by Yayasan Sarawak to cater for any other courses, so nobody is left out," he said. At this point, Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Padungan) stood to seek clarification on why the scheme only covered certain courses instead of being extended to all courses. In reply, Sagah said the scheme focused initially on the talents required by Sarawak in the next few years. "We must spend wisely. It doesn't mean that we offer it for these courses and stop at that. "We will look at it and this is the first step," he said.
The Star
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Year Six pupils in Sarawak to sit for inaugural state-level test on Oct 15-16
State Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah delivering his winding-up speech in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly on Monday (May 26). KUCHING: Sarawak's standardised assessment for Year Six pupils will get underway this October, says state Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah. He said the pupils would sit for the inaugural Ujian Penilaian Dual Language Programme (UPDLP) on Oct 15-16. "This initiative underscores our commitment to ensure that the standard of education in Sarawak continues to meet global standards," he told the Sarawak Legislative Assembly during his winding-up speech on Monday (May 26). Sagah said the UPDLP was a standardised assessment for Year Six and Form Three students undertaking the dual language programme in Sarawak, developed by his ministry in collaboration with the federal Education Ministry, state Education Department, Swinburne Innovation Malaysia (SWIM) and state-owned universities. He said it covered three core subjects central to the Sarawak DLP curriculum, namely Science, Mathematics and English. "The examination papers for these subjects are developed by our local expert teachers, ensuring they are tailored to the programme's specific needs and context. "Crucially, all examination papers will also be thoroughly vetted and verified by Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUP&A). This rigorous process guarantees that the assessments meet international standards," he said. SWIM signed a contract service agreement with CUP&A in Cambridge, Britain, on April 30 this year. On curriculum-related matters, Sagah said his ministry had no objection to the proposals by Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus and Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh to reintroduce Sarawak history in primary schools as well as environmental, social and governance (ESG) at pre-university level. "Nevertheless, as curriculum matters fall under the jurisdiction of the federal Education and Higher Education ministries, we will forward the proposals to them for their consideration," he said.
