FTES extension to Sarawak students in local federal universities promotes equal access

KUCHING: Extending the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) to Sarawakian students enrolled in federal universities in Sarawak would promote equal access to higher education while easing the financial burden on families, particularly those from rural and lower-income communities.

Universiti Putra Malaysia Sarawak’s (UPMS) senior lecturer, Dr Anita Rosli, said that from an educational equity perspective, access to financial assistance should ideally be based on students’ eligibility, academic qualifications and financial circumstances rather than solely on the ownership or administrative status of the university they attend.

More importantly, she said that this initiative would promote fairness and inclusiveness by ensuring that Sarawakian students are not disadvantaged simply because they choose to pursue their studies at a federal university rather than a state-owned institution.

“UPM Sarawak plays an important role in providing higher education opportunities, particularly in agriculture, forestry, humanities, and related disciplines.

“Extending FTES to eligible Sarawakian students at UPM Sarawak would help recognise the university’s contribution to the state’s educational development and human capital needs,” she told Sarawak Tribune.

Anita added that the extension would be particularly significant for families from lower-income households and rural communities.

She said the cost of university education extended beyond tuition fees, as students and parents also had to consider accommodation, transportation, food, learning materials, internet access and other living expenses.

By extending the scheme to eligible students at UPM Sarawak, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), she said, families could redirect more of their limited resources towards students’ daily living expenses and educational needs.

”From a broader economic perspective, reducing the cost of higher education is also an investment in human capital development.

“The proposed FTES extension should therefore be viewed not merely as a tuition-fee assistance programme, but as a broader social investment to reduce educational inequality and improve intergenerational economic mobility,” said the senior lecturer at the Department of Social Sciences and Management, Faculty of Humanities, Management and Science.

Looking beyond undergraduate education, she also supports extending FTES to working adults pursuing part-time studies and postgraduate qualifications, including Master’s and PhD programmes, subject to eligibility requirements.

She said education should not be limited to school leavers or young people entering university for the first time, as lifelong learning and continuous professional development were increasingly important in today’s changing economic environment.

Sarawak needs not only a qualified young workforce but also experienced professionals, educators, entrepreneurs, civil servants and industry practitioners who can continuously upgrade their knowledge and capabilities.

“Ultimately, investing in lifelong learning means investing in Sarawak’s future,” she said.