KUCHING: The Sarawak Government’s initiative to provide free education for Sarawakian students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields at state-owned higher learning institutions is only the beginning of its efforts to support students in the region.

Sarawak Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD), Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn said the initial focus on these fields, including Law, Medicine, Accounting, Finance and Psychology, was made to meet the current needs of the Sarawak Government.

“This is just the beginning, and we must also be mindful to spend the budget wisely.

“Bear in mind, the Ministry (MEITD) does not only focus on education but also on innovation and talent development, so we must anticipate the kind of talent needed in line with the government’s future demands,” he said during his ministerial winding-up session at the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting on Monday.

During the session, he responded to Padungan Assemblyman, Chong Chieng Jen who urged the government to extend the free tertiary education scheme to cover to all courses at Sarawak-owned higher learning institutions.

Dato Sri Roland Sagah added that the provision of free courses would not be limited to STEM fields in the future and would expand with the introduction of more initiatives to encourage Sarawakian students to pursue tertiary education.

Meanwhile, the Tarat Assemblyman informed that the Sarawak Government had approved the implementation of the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES), which will come into effect in 2026 and is exclusively for Sarawakians.

The FTES will initially cover bachelor's degree programmes in STEM-related fields, Law, Medicine, Accounting, Finance, and Psychology.

In addition to free tuition fees, the scheme also provides an annual allowance of RM15,000 for students from households with a per capita income of RM1,500 or less per month, to help with the cost of living throughout their studies.

“The government also assures that no student will be left behind, as Yayasan Sarawak continues to provide financial assistance in the form of scholarships or loans for courses not covered under the FTES,” he stressed. -UKASnews