Education policy row highlights Sarawak’s push for autonomy, says activist

KUCHING (Jan 29): The recent controversy over the federal education policy on early entry into Year 1 has underscored the need for greater autonomy for Sarawak in education matters, said Peter John Jaban.

The Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS) founder said the episode went beyond an administrative misstep, describing it as a symptom of a deeper structural problem rooted in Malaysia’s highly centralised education system, which has consistently failed to account for Sarawak’s distinct realities.

According to him, policies that are formulated, announced and then hastily withdrawn reflect a disconnect between federal policymakers and the lived conditions of children, parents and educators in Sarawak.

“The controversy was not merely a political dispute between the government and the opposition. It directly affected parents, teachers and students, with concerns raised over fairness, readiness and implementation,” he said in a statement.

Peter noted that the government’s decision to review and partially reverse the policy showed that public concerns extended beyond politics and reflected a broader national issue.

He said decisions affecting millions of students had been made without sufficient consultation, proper ground assessment or adequate consideration of regional disparities.

“When objections arose, the policy collapsed under its own weight. This should concern every Malaysian,” he said.

Peter stressed that Sarawak’s geographical, infrastructural and socio-economic conditions differ significantly from those in Peninsular Malaysia, pointing out that many schools are located in remote areas accessible only by rivers or logging roads.

Some schools, he added, still lack clean water and reliable electricity, with certain facilities relying entirely on generators, while others face shortages of classrooms and teachers.

“Children in these communities already face extraordinary barriers just to attend school. Imposing uniform national policies only deepens inequality instead of addressing it,” he said.

He argued that the controversy demonstrated the failure of a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to governance, particularly when policies designed for urban centres are applied indiscriminately to rural and remote regions.

Peter reiterated that Sarawak’s call for greater autonomy in education is grounded in the spirit and intent of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which recognises Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the formation of Malaysia, with special safeguards in governance and development.

Greater autonomy, he said, does not mean rejecting national standards, but allowing Sarawak the authority to adapt policies, set priorities, and implement timelines that reflect local realities.

“Sarawak deserves the space to shape its own education policies, not as an act of defiance, but as an act of responsibility to its children and future generations.

“The lesson is clear: education decisions affecting Sarawak must be made with Sarawak, not imposed upon it,” he said.

He added that if the federal government is serious about equity and genuine reform, it must recognise that uniformity does not equate to fairness.

“Centralisation has repeatedly failed Sarawak’s children. The latest policy reversal is only the most visible example,” he said.