LONDON: The Sarawak Government will commence standardised assessments for the Dual Language Programme (DLP), targeting Year 6 pupils, beginning in October 2025.
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg said the assessments will be aligned with international standards through a collaboration with Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUP&A).
He noted that the Ministry of Education Malaysia has granted approval for Sarawak, via its Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD), to establish a direct partnership with the University of Cambridge in the field of education.
“The DLP programme will be reviewed and verified by Cambridge University Press and Assessment to ensure its implementation is consistent with international standards,” he said.
“What is key in this programme is the use of two languages—Bahasa Kebangsaan, based on the national curriculum, and English, as a second medium of assessment using the Cambridge-developed international syllabus.
“This initiative aims to produce students who are proficient in both languages, enabling them to further their studies in higher education institutions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, particularly in science, mathematics and engineering,” he said during a press conference following the signing of a service agreement between CUP&A and Swinburne Innovation Malaysia (SWIM) in Cambridge, United Kingdom on Wednesday (local time).
Signing on behalf of CUP&A was Managing Director, Partnership for Education, Jane Mann, while SWIM Chief Executive Officer George Ngui signed on behalf of MEITD.
Also present to witness the ceremony were Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Sarawak Secretary, Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Deputy Ministers for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee and Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Law, MA63 and Federal-State Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, Sarawak Attorney-General, Dato Sri Saferi Ali, Sarawak Financial Secretary, Dato Sri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar and CUP&A Group Managing Director for International Education Rod Smith, along with other senior Sarawak government officials.
The Premier also noted that MEITD is working closely with the University of Cambridge to facilitate global exposure for Sarawak students through physical cooperation.
“Through this partnership, a range of bilingual education programmes can be implemented with a strong emphasis on academic excellence and scholarship opportunities, providing greater access for our students to pursue studies in emerging strategic economic fields,” he said.
He added that this effort forms part of the Sarawak Government’s broader agenda to build a competitive talent pool capable of adapting to the evolving global economy.
Currently, Swinburne University, as a strategic partner, is supporting Cambridge in the implementation of the assessments in Sarawak and maintains an internationally recognised university ranking.
The Premier further revealed that discussions are underway between the Sarawak Government and the University of Cambridge to facilitate placement of qualified Sarawak students from international school systems into world-renowned institutions such as Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard and the London School of Economics.
“Sarawak is targeting a dedicated quota of 10 places for top-performing students in specifically identified fields,” he said. -UKASnews
