Latest news with #SwinburneUniversityofTechnologySarawak
Borneo Post
27-05-2025
- Science
- Borneo Post
Dr Annuar: 82 pct of courses at three state-owned universities to be free under Sarawak education scheme
Dr Annuar said the list of free courses will continue to expand, with reviews to be carried out by an independent panel formed by universities. – Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING (May 27): A total of 82 per cent courses offered at three state-owned universities next year will be free under the Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES). Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee said the figure is based on data from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Curtin University Malaysia, and University of Technology Sarawak. He revealed that Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak will offer 22 out of 25 courses for free, UTS will offer 15 out of 18 courses for free, while 21 out of 28 Curtin University Malaysia courses will be free. 'All in all, 82 per cent of the courses offered by the three universities will be free next year, which is almost 100 percent,' Dr Annuar told a press conference at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) today. He added i-CATS University College had yet to give its figure. He was responding to Chong Chieng Jen (DAP–Padungan), who had yesterday questioned the ministry on why FTES only applied to selected courses. Dr Annuar said the list of free courses will continue to expand, with reviews to be carried out by an independent panel formed by universities. 'The review of which courses are needed is done by an independent panel formed by universities such as UPM (Universiti Putra Malaysia) and UiTM (Universiti Teknologi Mara). 'So, if Swinburne says, 'I want this course to be free,' we will forward this to the panel. The panel will then advise the ministry, and the Cabinet will have to approve,' he explained. He cited psychology as an example of a course that was not initially included but later added following a review. 'Initially it was not there, but when we reviewed and the Premier agreed, there were many people with problems. 'And partly also, in psychology, there is a science input. In psychology, it's all part of the brain. 'So, there needs to be science input. In fact, we are short of that,' said Dr Annuar. He added that once the infrastructure is in place, the focus should shift to human capital, as natural resources alone are insufficient to drive economic growth.
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
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Sarawak free tertiary study scheme to fulfil 2030 workforce needs, says state deputy education minister
The Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex in Kuching. KUCHING: Sarawak's free tertiary education scheme aims to meet the state's workforce needs in high-skill sectors towards achieving developed status by 2030, says Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee. The state Deputy Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister said this was in line with Sarawak's target of having 30% of its workforce highly skilled in digital economy, green economy, aerospace and renewable energy. "One key indicator of the scheme is that it will assist students, especially those from lower-income families, to enter university, resulting in higher enrolment in our state-owned universities. "This will also reduce our dependence on foreign labour in these important fields," he told Datuk Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman (GPS-Tupong) during question time in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly on Thursday (May 22). The free tertiary education scheme, to be implemented from 2026, will fully cover tuition fees for eligible Sarawakian students at state-owned higher learning institutions comprising Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Curtin University of Malaysia, University Technology of Sarawak and i-CATS University College. The approved programmes under the scheme include undergraduate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Law, Medical, Accounting and Finance. Dr Annuar said STEM-related and professional courses were offered under the scheme to meet Sarawak's workforce needs. "If we open up the scheme for every course, it might produce unemployed graduates. "We need to match the courses offered under the scheme with the demands of the job market," he said. More importantly, he added, the scheme would ensure that graduates were not in debt upon completing their studies as they would have no student loans to repay. Besides covering tuition fees, he said the state government would provide a yearly stipend of RM15,000 to students from households with a per capita income of RM1,500 and below. "This is meant to assist them in terms of accommodation and other living expenses," he said. To complement the scheme, Dr Annuar also said the state government had allocated RM20mil for the Sarawak educational enhancement programme to provide free tuition to students from Form Three to Form Five. He said this would help them achieve the necessary qualifications to pursue STEM-related and professional courses at state-owned institutions. "We believe this programme will help rural students in particular to benefit from the free tertiary education scheme," he said.
Daily Express
18-05-2025
- General
- Daily Express
Bringing back exams which Ministry abolished; emphasis on English, Maths and Science. S'wak knows what education is about
Published on: Sunday, May 18, 2025 Published on: Sun, May 18, 2025 Text Size: The challenge lies not in the exam itself, but in how educators, parents, and institutions interpret and act on its outcomes. IN October this year, Sarawak will roll out a standardised Year 6 assessment under its Dual Language Programme (DLP), a development that may initially appear local or technical, but in fact signals a deeper philosophical divergence within Malaysian education. More than three years after the abolition of the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), Sarawak is not turning back the clock, but rather asking a crucial question: in a post-exam era – how do we know what our children are really learning? Advertisement It is a question that deserves serious reflection, especially in a system that has, since the end of UPSR, leaned heavily on school-based and teacher-led assessments. While continuous assessment rightly shifts emphasis away from rote memorisation and academic stress, it has also raised concerns about consistency, objectivity, and benchmarking. When every classroom becomes its own examiner, how do we ensure coherence in learning outcomes across schools, districts, or entire states? Sarawak's approach to this dilemma is notably measured. The new Year 6 assessment is not a replica of UPSR, but rather narrower in focus, covering core competencies in English, Mathematics, and Science. Advertisement It is also designed and vetted by Cambridge University Press & Assessment, and administered by Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, indicating an explicit commitment to international standards, institutional transparency, and academic credibility. More importantly, the decision to reintroduce a standardised checkpoint at the end of primary education reflects an understanding that not all forms of testing are created equal. Exams, when badly designed, can reduce learning to mechanical recall. But when thoughtfully implemented, they can serve as powerful instruments for diagnosis, equity, and accountability. Diagnosis is perhaps the most immediate value-add. At the age of 12, students are making the critical transition from primary to secondary education, a phase that typically demands higher cognitive rigour, language proficiency, and mathematical reasoning. Without a standardised benchmark, it becomes significantly harder for educators to identify those who are struggling early enough to intervene. Continuous assessments, while pedagogically progressive, are often inconsistent in format and expectations across schools, especially in resource-strapped or rural contexts. Equity, too, is at stake. In the absence of centralised assessments, students' academic progress becomes increasingly dependent on the quality of their school environment, particularly the capacity and training of teachers to assess meaningfully and fairly. In more privileged schools, this may be a manageable proposition. But in underserved communities, where teachers may be overwhelmed or under-supported, the risk of under-assessment or inflated grading grows. A standardised tool provides a baseline, giving every student, regardless of postcode, a shot at being evaluated on equal footing. Then comes accountability. Education is not merely a relationship between students and their textbooks; it is also a public good. For ministries, curriculum planners, and stakeholders, the absence of aggregated performance data makes it harder to monitor systemic health. Which areas are falling behind in maths reasoning? Are literacy rates improving with the current curriculum? What intervention is working? Without structured assessments, such questions remain largely anecdotal. Sarawak's new exam offers a way to reconnect policy with evidence. It is also worth noting that this move by Sarawak is not a contradiction of educational progress – it is an evolution. While the national discourse in recent years has leaned heavily on holistic learning and assessment, there is now growing global consensus that the pendulum must not swing too far from structure. In many instances, the importance of 'low-stakes, high-quality assessments' is highlighted to support both teachers and students, especially at transitional stages of schooling. Sarawak's Year 6 assessment fits neatly into this category: it is not a high- stakes gateway to selective schools, but a tool to gauge preparedness and calibrate support. The partnership with Cambridge adds a further dimension. By aligning with international standards, Sarawak signals its intent to ensure that its students are not only locally competent, but globally competitive. This is especially important in a world where Malaysia's future workforce must be agile, literate across domains, and fluent in the languages of both culture and innovation. While the assessment will cover English under the DLP, the broader impact lies in instilling a culture of learning measurement that looks outward while staying rooted in local needs. Critics may argue that any return to standardised testing risks reintroducing exam stress and a teaching-to-the-test mentality. This is a fair concern, but one that ultimately depends on implementation. A well-communicated, transparently designed assessment, paired with formative reporting and targeted follow-up interventions, can mitigate such risks. The challenge lies not in the exam itself, but in how educators, parents, and institutions interpret and act on its outcomes. In the end, Sarawak is not resurrecting UPSR, it is redefining what meaningful assessment can look like in a 21st century education system. By doing so, it reopens a national conversation that has, for too long, been framed as binary: exams or no exams. The real issue is far more nuanced. How do we know that our children are learning? How do we ensure no one is left behind? How do we create a system that values both growth and standards? Sarawak's Year 6 assessment may not answer all these questions. But it is, at the very least, asking them in the right way – and at the right time. Galcin Lee Kuan Sian MBA Mktg. (UK), BA Econ. (UK), BBus Fin. & Econ. (Malaysia) School of Diploma & Professional Studies, Taylor's College The views expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Express. If you have something to share, write to us at: [email protected]
Borneo Post
13-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Abg Jo: Sarawak-owned universities to introduce engineering degree in construction management, free for eligible Sarawakians
Abang Johari delivers his speech at ICW Borneo. – Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING (May 13): The Sarawak government will introduce the Bachelor of Engineering in Construction Management at Sarawak-owned universities beginning next year, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. 'This is a new discipline where we will provide education in the field of construction and construction management,' he told reporters after launching International Construction Week (ICW) Borneo here today. He explained that the course is in line with the state's push for a low carbon industry, as construction is one of the sectors that contributes to carbon emissions. 'We need to find new methods, such as using green materials, and also implement low carbon footprint approaches in the building industry. 'For instance, the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) will help achieve this,' he said. Abang Johari added that eligible Sarawakians can pursue the course at no cost. 'Next year, we will send our students who are eligible to study in our universities under the free tertiary education,' he said. Abang Johari said the Bachelor of Engineering in Construction Management is among the first disciplines of its kind introduced in Borneo and will be offered at University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak. 'UTS in Sibu and Swinburne are ready. iCATS is not yet ready. By next year, we will start,' he added.
