SIBU: Every anak Sarawak must have access to quality education regardless of family background, financial circumstances or geographical location.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said education remains one of the most powerful instruments of social mobility, opening doors, broadening opportunities and empowering individuals to improve their circumstances.
“However, education can only fulfil this transformative role only when it is genuinely accessible to everyone regardless of family background, geographical location, or socio-economic circumstances.
“In Sarawak, I firmly believe that no anak Sarawak should be left behind.
“Quality education must never be regarded as a luxury or a privilege reserved for a select few. It must remain an opportunity available to every anak Sarawak,” he said at the 11th Convocation Ceremony of University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) here today (Nov 14).
Abang Johari said the state government is committed to building an education ecosystem that enables every child to develop their abilities, pursue their ambitions and contribute meaningfully to society.
He said Sarawak’s geographical challenges required practical solutions and sustained investment, particularly to ensure rural communities received equitable educational opportunities.
Among the initiatives was the establishment of Yayasan Sarawak International Secondary Schools, which provides students, particularly those from rural communities and lower-income families, access to quality international-standard education through the Cambridge curriculum.
At the foundational education level, he said the government is also intensifying efforts through the Sarawak Education Enhancement Programme (SEEP), an initiative designed to improve educational outcomes, particularly among students from rural and lower-income households.
“Through the Sarawak Education Enhancement Programme (SEEP), our own indigenous programme, we are intensifying efforts to improve educational outcomes, particularly among students from rural and lower-income households,” he said.
He said the programme provided targeted academic intervention, free in-school tuition and workshops to strengthen students’ understanding, improve academic performance and address learning gaps.
“We are also funding the development of common science laboratories in every district, allowing students from schools without dedicated facilities to undertake practical scientific experiments,” he said.
At the tertiary level, the state government had also introduced the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) in 2026 for eligible Sarawakian students at participating state-owned higher learning institutions.
Abang Johari said the initiative reflected the government’s determination to remove financial barriers that might otherwise prevent capable young Sarawakians from pursuing higher education and realising their full potential.
