Two new international school campuses in the pipeline for Bintulu, Miri

SARAWAK has set aside RM38 million under Budget 2027 to establish two new Yayasan Sarawak International Secondary School campuses in Bintulu and Miri.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the allocation, provided through Alternative Funding, will complement the existing campuses in Kuching and Sibu.

He said another RM40 million has been allocated next year to sustain the schools’ operations, support student development and expand educational delivery.

“The establishment of Yayasan Sarawak International Secondary School represents a significant milestone in Sarawak’s education agenda.

“This school offers an internationally recognized Cambridge curriculum, preparing students with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to excel globally,” he said when tabling the Supply (2027) Bill, 2026 today (Oct 12).

On the same note, the Premier said RM25 million has been allocated to continue the Sarawak Education Enhancement Programme (SEEP) Tuition Support next year.

He said the programme is expected to benefit approximately 113,000 students across 186 secondary schools under 30 District Education Offices.

“A cornerstone of SEEP is the provision of complimentary tuition and academic support to underperforming students from Form 3 to Form 5, aiming to elevate their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) performance in core subjects,” he explained.

On technical and vocational education and training (TVET), Abang Johari said RM121.5 million has been allocated for the operational expenditure of several training institutions.

These include Sarawak Skills, i-CATS University College, Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS) campuses and Kolej Laila Taib.

He said another RM13 million will go towards development initiatives, including capital expenditure for Sarawak Skills, the Advanced Automotive Training Centre at CENTEXS and upgrading works at the Sarawak Agriculture Vocational Training Institute (SAVTI) campus.

The Finance and New Economy minister said RM4.5 million has also been allocated for the NextGen Digital and Innovation Talent Programme and Sarawak Digital and Innovation Talent Acceleration Programme.

The initiatives aim to strengthen industry-based learning, lifelong education and the development of a technically skilled workforce.