No bond for Sarawak free education scheme recipients

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Sarawak’s government has confirmed that students receiving free tertiary education under the state’s FTES program are not required to fulfill employment bonds, allowing them to work anywhere after graduation. This policy supports graduate mobility while aiming to attract returning talent, as enrollment in the participating state universities surged by 128.5% in 2026 across programs linked to key economic sectors.

Sarawak’s government has confirmed that students benefiting from the state’s free tertiary education scheme (FTES) are not subject to any employment bonds, allowing recipients the freedom to pursue careers anywhere. Datuk Seri Roland Sagah, Sarawak’s Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister, emphasized that the scheme is offered without conditions intended to restrict graduates’ career choices.

Speaking at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly on October 19, Sagah said the government’s intention is to provide free education “with all sincerity” and to grant students the flexibility to seek employment domestically or internationally. “We don’t bond them because we give them the freedom to choose. No strings attached,” he said. Sagah expressed hope that students working abroad would eventually return to Sarawak, bringing back valuable experience that could benefit the local economy. “Hopefully, by then our economy would have grown and we can give them better pay,” he added.

The minister also highlighted a significant increase in student enrollment in the four state-owned higher education institutions participating in the FTES. This year’s intake rose by 128.5%, from 1,528 students in 2025 to 3,491 in 2026 across 64 courses under the scheme. As of September 30, a total of 6,246 students had accepted places through FTES at Curtin University Malaysia, i-CATS University College, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, and University of Technology Sarawak. Among these, Swinburne had the highest number of students at 2,802, followed by University of Technology Sarawak with 2,031, Curtin with 949, and i-CATS with 464.

The selected programs span various disciplines aligned with Sarawak’s economic priorities, including the hydrogen economy, precision agriculture, data centre development, and aerospace industry sectors. Sagah stressed the ministry’s ongoing commitment to facilitating access to quality higher education for eligible Anak Sarawak without the burden of tuition fees, aiming to maintain the program’s momentum.

He also noted that the ability of graduates to secure employment internationally would serve as an endorsement of the quality of education provided by Sarawak’s institutions. “It means our institutions are good,” he remarked during his closing speech.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.