Minister: Sarawak’s free tertiary education initiative aimed at fostering student devt, not political gimmick

Dr Annuar speaking to reporters during a Zoom interview on Dec 28, 2023.

KUCHING, Dec 28: Education, Innovation, and Talent Development (MEITD) Sarawak Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee has stated that Sarawak’s decision to provide free tertiary education is not a political gimmick, but rather an effort by the State government to ensure students’ development.

According to Dr Annuar, Sarawak’s free tertiary education will be implemented by 2026.

“I want you to highlight that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government never promised it in the previous State election; we only put up the idea of free tertiary education.

“The policy came after GPS won the election in 2021. And this policy is going to be implemented before the upcoming State election in 2026,” he told reporters during a Zoom interview today.

He continued: “Our GPS is not like other parties that promised a lot during the election but when elected, they never delivered. This is what we call political will, not political gimmick.”

He went on to say that the Sarawak government’s effort to provide free education at the three government-owned higher education institutions aims to give students who are unable to continue their studies at a higher level access to higher education.

The private higher educational institutions (IPTS) are Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Curtin University, and University of Technology Sarawak (UTS).

“This is a government initiative to ensure that every student, especially in rural areas, has the opportunity to pursue higher education at a local university,” the deputy minister added. — DayakDaily