Annuar: No stopping FTES midway

KUCHING: The Sarawak government will not discontinue the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES), with students assured that there is no option to stop the initiative midway.

Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee said the scheme was introduced to provide Sarawakians with equal opportunities to pursue higher education regardless of their financial background.

He said the high cost of tertiary education had previously made it difficult for some families to afford university studies, particularly in courses such as engineering.

“Without FTES, for engineering students, the fees for four years can be up to RM150,000,” he said during an FTES dialogue at Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, here today (Nov 11).

He added that including living expenses, parents could spend between RM200,000 and RM210,000 to support their children’s four-year studies.

Annuar said the state government would allocate about RM85 million annually to Swinburne to cover tuition fees for approximately 2,600 students, with the amount potentially increasing to RM100 million.

Annuar (centre) poses for a group photo with students during the FTES dialogue at Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus.

He clarified that the education is not entirely without cost to the government, as the state would pay the universities through Yayasan Sarawak.

“It’s not that it’s free and the state government doesn’t pay,” he said.

Eligible students also receive an annual stipend of RM15,000, comprising RM10,000 for personal expenses and RM5,000 for accommodation.

Annuar stressed that beneficiaries would not be required to repay the assistance or serve an employment bond after graduation.

“The state government doesn’t ask you to give back the money, and also the state government doesn’t want to bond you because of that money,” he said.

He said graduates were free to pursue employment opportunities outside Sarawak if suitable jobs were unavailable locally.

“If we can provide you jobs, by all means, please work in Sarawak. If we couldn’t offer you a job in Sarawak and you find a better job somewhere else, by all means, please go,” he said.

Addressing concerns over the scheme’s sustainability, Annuar assured students that the government remained committed to continuing the initiative.

“We cannot stop or turn back this scheme. There’s no way. There’s no option for us to stop in the middle of this scheme,” he said.

He also reminded students that FTES covered tuition fees for up to four years, adding that those who extended their studies would have to bear the additional costs themselves.

He urged students not to take the opportunity for granted, stressing that the scheme represented a significant investment in Sarawak’s future generation.