UTS, Kolej Laila Taib students briefed on S’wak Free Tertiary Education Scheme
by Peter Boon · Borneo Post OnlineSIBU (Jan 30): About 120 participants including students and staff from the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) and Kolej Laila Taib (KLT) attended the ‘Program Borak Santai FTES’ here on Thursday.
The session was facilitated by deputy dean of the School of Business and Management at UTS, Dr Rahmat Aidil Djubair, who provided an overview of the Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES).
“The scheme focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Medicine, Law, Accounting, Finance and Psychology undergraduate degree programmes to align with Sarawak’s talent development needs,” he said during his presentation at the UTS Academic Resource Centre here.
He added that FTES is another initiative by the Sarawak government to strengthen the education sector and support Sarawak’s aspiration of becoming a developed state by 2030.
Rahmat also highlighted the objectives of the scheme, including providing equal access to higher education, developing a highly skilled and educated workforce, reducing financial constraints on students and families, and encouraging continuous learning and academic excellence.
Participants were shown the list of approved degree programmes at UTS and were briefed on eligibility criteria, including a yearly stipend of RM15,000 for students from households with a monthly per capita income of RM1,500 or less.
The session concluded with a question-and-answer segment to clarify details of the scheme.
The FTES was introduced by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg in the Sarawak Budget 2023. It will enable Sarawak youths to pursue higher education at state-owned institutions starting this year, covering both tuition fees and a monthly stipend to support basic living expenses throughout their studies.