SIBU, Nov 7 (Bernama) -- Sarawak is focusing specifically on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in line with its emphasis on technology and high-income policies.
This is to ensure that the state has a highly skilled workforce to assist in the implementation of green economy policies, hydrogen energy, methanol, cascading dams and aerospace to achieve the status of a high-income developed state by 2030.
Therefore, Sarawakians, especially Bumiputera students, need to emphasize their academic achievements in order to seize the opportunities that will be wide open to them in the future.
According to Sarawak Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee, financial constraints can no longer be an excuse for Bumiputera children in Sarawak not to pursue their studies in the ivory tower by 2026.
"Universities owned by the Sarawak Government will offer free tuition to all Sarawak children starting that year without using any intake quota," he said at the Sibu Vocational College (KV) Appreciation and Excellence Award Ceremony 2024 here today.
Dr Annuar said anyone with qualifications can progress to the state government-owned universities, namely Universiti Teknologi Sarawak (UTS), Sibu; Swinburne University of Technology, Kuching; Curtin University, Miri and Centexs Kuching.
He said a total of RM15 million had been allocated to offer free tuition through the Sarawak Education Enhancement Programme (SEEP) to Form Three and Form Five students who scored less than 44 per cent in any subject in the Final Academic Session Test (UASA).
"We have registered 56,000 students throughout Sarawak and the opportunities are created in a balanced manner throughout the state, especially in rural areas," he said.
Dr Annuar added that the Federal Government had agreed to increase the Per Capita Grant (PCG) rate for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) by 15 per cent in the 2025 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, bringing the total allocation of PCG to more than RM900 million.
This, he said, is proof that TVET is given special attention not only by the state government but also at the federal government level.
-- BERNAMA
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