SELANGAU: The Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) introduced by the state government continues to expand access to higher education for native youths by offering tuition-free studies along with living assistance to produce a highly skilled human capital pool.

Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department, Dato Sri John Sikie Tayai, said the scheme, implemented since February 2026, provides free tuition fees and a living allowance of up to RM15,000 annually to Sarawakians pursuing bachelor's degree studies at state-owned higher learning institutions.

He said this when officiating the Closing Ceremony of the Yayasan Sarawak FTES Education Expo 2026 at SJKC Tong Ah, here on Saturday.

According to him, the initiative not only eases the financial burden on families, but also empowers human capital development, narrows the educational gap, and supports Sarawak's economic development agenda toward 2030.

“FTES was established to ensure that more Sarawakian youths have the opportunity to pursue higher education without the burden of fees, thereby narrowing the educational gap between high- and low-income groups while reducing reliance on external workforces in the future,” he said.

In the meantime, the Kakus Assemblyman added that rapid technological changes, automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and the green economy demand that the younger generation equip themselves with knowledge, technical skills, as well as soft skills such as communication, leadership, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.

In this regard, he encouraged students to fully utilize the FTES Education Expo to obtain information on opportunities for further studies, educational sponsorships, and fields of study with high demand in the job market.

Also present were Selangau District Education Officer Ringgit @ Gawan Saut and Yayasan Sarawak representative Lee Chung Ching. — UKASnews

Translated by: Ryan Lim