Education
Sarawak has a literacy rate of over 90 per cent. The Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) overseas schools at primary and secondary levels.
Primary education usually begins in the child’s seventh year and continues for six years.
Students usually enter secondary school in their 13th year, where they can continue for seven years until Upper Six to sit for Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) or Malaysian Higher School Certificate. This is required to enter public universities and is equivalent to A-Levels.
Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or Malaysian Certificate of Education is taken in the fifth year of secondary school and is equivalent to O-Levels. SPM can be used to enter public and private pre-university and matriculation courses.
Early education
Having recognised the importance of early education, the State government is committed to the development of preschools. There are plans to establish preschools in rural longhouses and villages to ensure children in these areas get the head start they deserve educationally.
Majlis Pembangunan Pendidikan Awal Kanak-Kanak Sarawak (MPAKS) or Sarawak Children’s Early Education Development Council is also focusing on registering preschools in the State.
SeDidik Sdn Bhd is a non-profit organisation, which manages the Child and Family Development Programme for the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC).
Conceived under SEDC's Community Development Division, Sedidik provides comprehensive human development services for children and families in Sarawak, with a focus on early childhood education.
The programmes are operated in 58 urban and rural centres, serving over 2,000 children.
Tertiary education
Sarawak is one of the country’s education hubs with both public and private institutions of higher learning.
Public Universities
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) was officially incorporated on December 24, 1992. It has nearly 6,000 students and over 1,450 staff. The university has eight faculties: Applied & Creative Arts, Cognitive Sciences & Human Development, Computer Science & Information Technology, Economics & Business, Engineering, Medicine & Health Sciences, Resource Science & Technology, as well as Social Sciences.
Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sarawak has a current enrolment of about 4,000 full-time (80 per cent residential) and 800 part-time students. UiTM Sarawak offers 26 programmes ranging from certificate to PhD level, through full-time, off-campus and e-PJJ (distance learning).
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Bintulu Campus was opened in November 2001. It is home to the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, which comprises five academic departments: Department of Crop Science, Department of Forestry Science, Department of Social Science, Department of Basic Science and Engineering, as well as Department of Animal Science and Fishery. The faculty offers qualifications from Diploma to PhD level.
Universiti Utara Malaysia offers three programmes at its off campus branches in Kuching and Sibu: Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours (BBA - Hons), Bachelor of Public Management with Honours (BPM- Hons), and Bachelor of Communications with Honours (BComm - Hons).
Private Universities
Curtin University Sarawak is the first offshore campus of Curtin University, Perth, Australia and the first foreign university campus to be set up in East Malaysia. Operations began in 1999 and today the university offers courses for foundation and continuing studies, undergraduate degrees and postgraduate studies up to PhD level. It has a student population of around 3,000. Every aspect of the academic programmes, including course materials and examinations, delivered at the Sarawak Campus are identical to the programmes offered in Perth.
Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus is the sole international branch campus of Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. It opened in 2000 and is a partnership between Swinburne Australia and the Sarawak government. With over 3,000 students, the university offers undergraduate degrees in engineering, science, commerce, computing and design. Also offered are postgraduate research programs at PhD and masters levels in these disciplines as well as one-year foundation programmes. The courses are identical to those offered by Swinburne's home campus in Melbourne and parchments are awarded by Swinburne Australia.
Other private tertiary institutions in alphabetical order as listed by the Malaysian Qualifications Register are Cosmopoint International College of Technology, Fajar International College, FTMS International College, i-Systems College, Institut Eksekutif, Institut Teknologi Maklumat Nusantara (NIIT Kuching), International College Of Advanced Technology Sarawak (ICATS), INTI College Sarawak, Kolej IBS, Kolej Laila Taib, Kolej Pendidikan Perdana (Pusat Luar Kuching), Limkokwing Borneo, Methodist Pilley Institute, Pusat Teknologi Dan Pengurusan Lanjutan (PTPL) Sarawak, Riam Institute of Technology, SEDAMAI College, SEGi College Sarawak, Sunway College Kuching, Twintech College Sarawak Branch, and UCSI University Sarawak Campus.
