Uggah (centre) presents a memento to Ahmad during the courtesy visit.
KUCHING (Feb 16): Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) plans to offer a Bachelor of Education in the Iban language, starting in the first semester of the 2025/2026 academic year.
Its vice-chancellor Prof Dr Ahmad Hata Rasit said the programme to be offered at its Education, Language and Communication Faculty aims to address the pressing shortage of Iban language teachers in the state.
“We hope to begin this program in Semester 1, 2025/2026.
“Besides this, this faculty also plans to set up the Jabatan Bahasa-Bahasa Borneo which will include the Bahasa Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau and Sarawak Malay dialect,” he said.
He said this in a statement following a visit to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development and Unimas Pro-Chancellor at the latter’s office here today.
He further added Unimas too would add in another Bahasa Iban programme which is Bahasa Iban for Communication Profession as an elective course in the first semester of 2024/2025.
Uggah had suggested the introduction of an Iban language program to produce more teachers proficient in the language.
Unimas Board of Directors chairman Tan Sri Datuk Panglima Sulong Matjeraie; deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs and alumni) Prof Ts Dr Al-Khalid Othman, dean of the Faculty of Education, Language, and Communication, Prof Dr Ambigapathy Pandian; and lecturers Dr Remmy Gedat and Dr Santrol Abdullah were among those present.