No more ‘quota system’ for state-owned universities, says Sarawak minister

SIBU: Admission into five state-owned universities in Sarawak will be based solely on meritocracy to pick the best of the best, says state Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee.

“Students need to know that enrolment for these universities is no longer based on a quota system. In other words, it’s based on meritocracy,” said Dr Annuar at the Sarawak Career and Training Fair (SCaT) 2024 on Saturday (Nov 2)

He said that with a system of meritocracy, students have to compete for places.

“Students must realise the importance of competition in order to pursue their studies in university,” he added.

The five universities are Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Curtin University Malaysia, University of Technology Sarawak, i-CATS University College, and Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (Centexs).

According to Dr Annuar, for Sarawak to advance towards becoming a developed state, meritocracy is the “only way to train talents and pick the best of the best among our students.”

To ensure rural students can gain admission to these universities, he said the Sarawak government is upgrading their facilities, which includes spending RM15mil yearly to provide free tuition for Form 3 and Form 5 students.