By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: The State Government will continue to prioritise Sabah’s education development agenda through human capital empowerment.
This, he said, includes the expansion of educational assistance and the strengthening of technical and vocational education and training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), as well as artificial intelligence (AI) literacy.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said these efforts are important to ensure that every Sabahan child has access to the best educational opportunities regardless of race and background, while nurturing a knowledgeable, morally upright and competitive generation.
He said human capital development will continue to be enhanced in line with the State Government’s aspiration to improve educational excellence and strengthen Sabah’s future.
“Skills development and youth empowerment will continue to be strengthened through the expansion of scholarships and educational assistance.
“The enhancement of TVET, the strengthening of STEM, agricultural training and digital technology, with a focus on AI literacy, are among the areas that will continue to be prioritised by the State Government,” he said.
He said this when officiating the Fourth School Management Appreciation Ceremony (MAPenS) 2026, organised by the Sabah State Education Department (JPNS) at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC).
Hajiji said the State Government has consistently supported efforts to strengthen education through various initiatives and strategic collaborations with JPNS and the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE).
According to him, among the initiatives implemented are the construction and upgrading of schools, the provision of information and communication technology (ICT) facilities, motivation programmes for rural students, scholarships for underprivileged students, and various educational interventions aimed at improving students’ academic performance and character development.
He said the State Government is also continuing various educational assistance programmes, including scholarships, study grants and 14 existing education aid initiatives.
“Among the assistance provided are the one-off higher education registration cash assistance (Budi), computer assistance, examination special cash assistance, Sabah students airfare assistance and the contribution for higher education students in Sabah (Sentosa).
“In addition, the Yayasan Sabah and the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) also offer educational assistance that can benefit the people,” he said.
He said all the assistance and efforts provided are aimed at benefiting the younger generation while serving as a catalyst for the state’s future development.
Hajiji also expressed his appreciation to the education fraternity for the encouraging achievements in the 2025 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
He said the improvement in performance, reflected in the state average grade (GPN) from 5.00 in 2024 to 4.85 in 2025, demonstrated the strong commitment and dedication of educators in enhancing educational excellence in Sabah.
“This achievement is the result of close cooperation among teachers, parents and all parties involved in the education system. May this success serve as a catalyst for further elevating educational excellence in Sabah in the future,” he said.
Hajiji also stressed that teachers are the cornerstone of national development as they not only impart knowledge but also shape the character and moral values of the younger generation.
In this regard, he expressed his appreciation to all educators for their commitment, sincerity and dedication in fulfilling the responsibility of educating the nation’s future generations.
Hajiji receives the Sabah Education Prosperity Personality Award from State Education director Datuk Raisin Saidin.
