Dr Abdul Rahman (fourth left) hands over the Sarawak Foundation aid vouchers to one of the school representatives. Seen at third left is Paulus.
LIMBANG: Sarawak Foundation plays a crucial role in building the foundation for educated manpower in the state by providing loans, scholarships and educational opportunities to Sarawakian students
Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, said this at the presentation of Sarawak Foundation’s education assistance at the Bunga Raya village hall here on Wednesday.
“The foundation was established specifically to engage in education, educational aid such as loans and scholarships and it is also involved in the establishment of a technical school known as Centexs (Centre of Technical Excellence Sarawak) which it runs,” he said.
He added that students who are not academically-inclined could apply to take up technical courses at any Centexs in the state.
According to him, the Sarawak Foundation has been instructed by the state government to provide scholarships for those pursuing various degrees related to Sarawak’s digital economy drive, underlining the emphasis on education development although this is the responsibility of the federal government.
“Sarawak has taken up the challenge of teaching Science and Maths subjects in English. For this purpose, the state government has allocated grants to provide special training courses to the teachers involved,” he said.
Dr Abdul Rahman, who is also Bukit Kota assemblyman, said this approach
underscored the Sarawak government’s serious intention of raising Sarawakians’ competency in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to face the challenges of Industrial Revolution 4.0 and digital economy.
He said such fields would be in demand in future, where digital economy and artificial intelligence (AI) become the norm and necessity in any sector.
As announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, he said the Sarawak government aims for most areas in Sarawak to be equipped with basic infrastructure such as electricity and water supplies and communication networks by 2020 in line with rural transformation.
“2019 would the year of implementation,” he added.
On Limbang, Dr Abdul Rahman said it is slated to roll out almost RM1 billion worth of projects, which are scheduled to be completed by this year and next year.
“That is why the chief minister wants to see the projects he has announced to be implemented immediately.
“Any problems at the project site must be resolved immediately so that projects are not affected,” he pointed out.
This year, 450 students from 35 primary schools and five secondary schools in
Limbang received
educational aid vouchers worth RM200 each from the Sarawak Foundation.
Present were Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang, deputy Limbang Resident Sebi Abang and representatives from the Limbang Education Office – Racha Balang and Siti Mariam Salleh.