Focus on in-demand tertiary courses

Sarawak’s free higher education policy to prioritise degrees that meet job market’s needs

The Sarawak government’s free tertiary education policy will prioritise courses that meet the needs of the state’s job market, said Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee.

The Education, Innovation and Talent Development Deputy Minister said this is to ensure Sarawakian graduates will have a high employability rate.

“We have not decided which courses yet but we will be identifying them as soon as possible.

“We are going to base this on the needs of Sarawak’s workforce to see which ones are in demand and these will be given priority,” he told reporters when met a er officiating at the ‘Jom Masuk U’ Sarawak Zone event here yesterday.

He was representing Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn.

Also present was Unimas vice chancellor Prof Dr Ahmad Hata Rasit.

Dr Annuar said the Sarawak government is looking into the selection of courses under this policy in view that not all degrees will necessarily guarantee employment.

“If we open up the policy to every university course, there may be certain courses that might not have high employability rate

We are going to base this on the needs of Sarawak’s workforce to see which ones are in demand and these will be given priority.

Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee

or that the job might not even exist yet.

“As such, the graduates might wind up unemployed,” he explained.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg previously announced that Sarawak will provide free education to over 25,000 prospective students in all state-owned universities and higher learning institutions from 2026.

He also said priority would be given to students taking up technical and financial disciplines such as engineering, accountancy and computer science, which would have better chances of securing employment.

Earlier at the event, Sagah in his speech read by Dr Annuar said the free tertiary education initiative will involve Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Curtin University Malaysia, University of Technology Sarawak, i-CATS University College, and Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak.

“The Sarawak government is committed in its efforts to providing free education to Sarawakian children.

“We will be the first state to move towards this initiative and open up opportunities for our children to explore new technologies for the advancement of Sarawak and the country,” he said.