KUCHING: Sarawak continues to grapple with a shortage of Iban language teachers, despite the course being offered at two institutions, namely Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Rajang.
Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department, Datuk Seri John Sikie Tayai, said that the situation will change soon when Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) also begins offering Iban language studies.
He added that the student intake is targeted for the 2025/2026 academic session.
“This is one of the government’s efforts to produce more educators in this field.
“The shift from learning Iban through daily conversation to specialised university-level education shows us how important the Iban language is for the younger generation, so that it will not disappear in the wave of modernisation,” he said.
He said this while speaking at the ‘Jaku Tangkai Mengandai’ Keynote Lecture at the Borneo Cultural Museum here today.
He further stressed that with more universities offering Iban language options, the younger generation, including those from other ethnic groups, will be able to learn, understand and communicate in the language.
