Higher education costs have long been a formidable barrier for students and families across the globe. In many countries, graduates step out of lecture halls weighed down by astronomical student debts that take decades to repay, dictating major life choices and constantly threatening their credit scores.
Closer to home, financial stress often forces talented youths to halt their studies prematurely out of fear of burdening their families or falling into a revolving door of debt.
Acknowledging these systemic challenges, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg introduced a transformative policy in early 2022: the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES).
Conceived as a bold move to secure equitable access to higher learning and accelerate regional capacity building, the initiative reached a major milestone on March 20, 2025, when the Sarawak Cabinet officially approved its implementation.
