KUCHING: The state had some 4,800 students studying at the various MARA educational institutes (from secondary school to tertiary education) last year.
And over the last decade more than 7,000 local students had also benefitted from MARA educational scholarships for studies locally and abroad.
This was according to Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah when speaking to officiate at the annual two-day MARA Education Carnival also known as ‘Jelajah Karnival Pendidikan MARA (KPM) 2017 Zon Sarawak’ that began here yesterday.
More than 50 exhibition booths of MARA Educational Institutions, higher education institutions throughout Malaysia and sponsoring organisations were available at the KPM Zon Sarawak 2017.
Held yesterday and today at The Hills Shopping Malls, here the event is aimed to help the youngsters especially Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) school leavers to further their studies at a higher level.
Tengah who is also Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, Trade and Investment in his address stressed that the state government welcomed programme such as this that could raise awareness about the importance of education to young people in Sarawak in turn, opened up opportunities for them to develop themselves.
“KPM 2017 Zon Sarawak is indeed the right timing for us to empower youngsters in the state so that they can get the best education in order for us to shape the young generation that is able to face the more challenging future.
“Therefore, in line with the aspiration towards advanced and developing country, human capital is an important asset that needs to be emphasised and it has become the main agenda of the government.
“Specialised training and education should be provided in line with the needs of the country’s industrial development corridors especially in the state namely Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE),” he pointed out, hoping that MARA could play an effective role to provide the youngsters who can contribute in SCORE.
Tengah urged SPM school leavers who were interested and wanted to continue their studies in the field of skills in certificate and diploma levels to apply to study at Institut Kemahiran MARA (IKM).
“There are two IKM which have been operating in Sarawak which are in Kuching and Bintulu that offer specialisations in automotive industry and vehicle body repairs; maritime; welding; electricity as well as energy and oil.
“Student fees are borne entirely by MARA; in fact students also receive monthly allowance during the training,” he stated, adding MARA is also offering education and training facilities up to degree and doctorate levels.
Meanwhile, State MARA Director Megat Zakaria Megat Ahmad stated MARA wanted to give every student an opportunity to pursue their studies regardless of their examination results.
He said, through the Carnival, students or school leavers can explore the appropriate fields of study provided by educational institutions involved according to their interests and academic qualifications.
“The carnival will also be a one-stop centre for the public to obtain information about education sponsorships, student loan repayment, selection of study guides and so on through the counters that has been provided during the Carnival.
“Therefore, I urge the young people to come to the Carnival and do not miss the opportunity,” he stressed.
Among the activities held at the Carnival were Entrepreneur Education Talk, exhibition, innovation competition for university and school students, briefing on educational facilities, Scrabble Race and Food Truck Fest.
Also present at the event were Assistant Minister of Resource Planning Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais and Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh.
