Dr Annuar: Over 5,700 students in benefit from Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme to date, UTS leads

SIBU (Feb 13): A total of 5,784 students at four state-owned higher education institutions in Sarawak are now benefiting from the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) provided by the Sarawak government, said State Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee.

He revealed that the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) has the highest number of beneficiaries under the scheme.

“Congratulations to UTS! This year marks the beginning of the Sarawak government’s implementation of free tertiary education.

“The scheme focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Medicine, Law, Accounting, Finance and Psychology undergraduate degree programmes to align with Sarawak’s talent development needs.

“FTES is another initiative by the Sarawak government to strengthen the education sector and support Sarawak’s aspiration of becoming a developed state by 2030,” Dr Annuar told The Borneo Post.

Providing a breakdown of beneficiaries across the four institutions, Dr Annuar, the Nangka assemblyman, said UTS leads with 2,991 students, followed by Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus with 2,009, Curtin University Malaysia with 573, and i-CATS with 211.

He said the objectives of FTES include providing equal access to higher education, developing a highly skilled and educated workforce, reducing financial burdens on students and families, and encouraging continuous learning and academic excellence.

Dr Annuar also urged students to focus on their studies and make the most of the opportunities offered by the programme.

For the record, FTES was introduced by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg in the Sarawak Budget 2023.

The initiative enables Sarawak youths to pursue higher education at state-owned institutions starting this year, covering both tuition fees and a monthly stipend to support basic living expenses throughout their studies.