Ministry signs MoA with six skills institutions to benefit S’wak Bumiputera

KUCHING (May 14): The Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development today signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with six skills training institutes which would benefit Bumiputeras in Sarawak.

The institutions comprise of the Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (Centexs), Sarawak Skills, Automotive and Welding Institute of Sarawak (Awisar), Akademi Binaan Malaysia (ABM) Wilayah Sarawak, Industrial Training Institute (ILP) Miri and Yahos School of Skills.

Its deputy minister Datuk Francis Harden Hollis said the MoA was to create a formal collaboration between the government and the training institutions to enable both to effectively work together towards a collective goal.

He added it would be implemented through collaborative programmes for the New Human Capital Development Cluster, which is the Skills Training Programme under the Special Bumiputera Programme (PKB) 2024.

“The approved allocation under PKB Sarawak this year is expected to benefit 120 Bumiputera trainees in Sarawak, especially the minority ethnics and Penans from the B40 group.

“Offers to join PKB 2024 courses are only for trainees who further their studies in eight selected skills training institutes and are not receiving any financial aid from other sources,” he said in a press conference after the MoA signing at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly here today.

Harden said a total of 18 courses under four clusters (Digital, Manufacturing, Construction and Tourism) had been chosen for this programme.

“Funding covers tuition fees, accommodation, meal allowance, student allowance and transport (one-off) during their studies,” he said.

He added PKB Sarawak is a special programme for Bumiputeras in Sarawak which began in 2010, and is one of the federal government’s efforts to improve the socioeconomic development of the state through the development of human capital.

“Starting this year, the state ministry has taken over the implementation of skills training under the Human Capital Development Cluster from the Economic Planning Unit of Sarawak.

“This programme aims to improve the lives of Bumiputeras in Sarawak from the B40 group by providing education and appropriate skills,” he said.

Also present were the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary Anielia Siam; administrative officer Khaninah Ariff; Centexs acting head of corporate strategy and communication division Faheezah Ibrahim; Sarawak Skills chief strategy officer Mohamad Isham Fauzi; and Yahos School of Skills managing director Natasha Nasa Douglas Uggah.