Sarawak’s Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) is designed to develop a highly educated and competitive workforce capable of propelling the state towards a high-income economy, said Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the Sarawak government remains committed to human capital development alongside physical and economic growth, with strong emphasis on producing knowledgeable and highly skilled talent.
Under the FTES, 64 bachelor’s degree programmes have been identified, benefiting 10,000 students at an estimated cost of RM250 million. The scheme is open to all eligible students regardless of family income, underscoring the government’s view that education is a basic necessity.
Four Sarawak-owned higher education institutions will participate in the initiative — Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Curtin University Malaysia, University of Technology Sarawak, and i-CATS University College.
In addition to fully covering tuition fees, the FTES also provides monthly allowances to assist students with basic living expenses throughout their studies.
The programme focuses on undergraduate courses in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), as well as medicine, law, accounting, finance and psychology, aligning with Sarawak’s long-term talent and industry needs.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari said the state government is also strengthening secondary education through the establishment of the Yayasan Sarawak International Secondary School (YSISS).
He described the initiative as a significant milestone in Sarawak’s education strategy, offering the Cambridge curriculum and positioning the state’s education system in line with international standards.
