KUCHING (Oct 10): Two new schools will be constructed in Sarawak under the 2026 National Budget to meet the educational needs of local communities, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced today.

The schools are SK Sri Sadong in Serian and SMK Desa Wira in Padawan.

Tabling the budget themed Belanjawan Madani Keempat: Belanjawan Rakyat (Fourth Madani Budget: A Budget for the People) in Parliament, Anwar said the Education Ministry will receive RM66.2 billion next year, up from RM64.2 billion this year, to strengthen education nationwide.

“Nearly RM2 billion has been allocated to upgrade over 520 dilapidated schools, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak, alongside repairing and maintaining all types of schools. This includes refurbishing student facilities and teacher rooms, following the successful upgrades of toilets, canteens, and prayer rooms in a short period,” he said.

“A total of 38 new schools will be built to meet the needs of local communities. These include SK Sri Sadong in Serian and SMK Desa Wira in Padawan, Sarawak,” Anwar added.

The government will accelerate school projects by using existing buildings to ensure continuity of education.

Additional classrooms will be built using the Industrialized Building System (IBS) at existing schools, with RM100 million allocated to complete construction in over 100 high-density schools within six months.

In addition, 350 new preschool classrooms will be constructed in existing buildings with over RM100 million allocated to address shortages in early childhood education.

To support students from low-income families, RM150 million has been set aside for the Federal Small Scholarship Scheme, while the School Meal Programme will receive RM870 million to provide nutritious meals to 870,000 students.

School Assistance for low-income students will be expanded up to Form 5, with RM180 million allocated.

All 5.2 million government school students will receive RM150 in Early Schooling Assistance, with RM800 million allocated for distribution via schools through teachers.

Early childhood education will also be strengthened with the construction of six new KEMAS preschools, including Tabika Kampung Lendu in Melaka and Taska Kampung Gong Beting in Dungun, Terengganu.

Nationwide preschool facilities will be upgraded with RM20 million, and 10,800 classrooms, taska, and tabika will be equipped with smart TVs at a cost of RM70 million to enhance digital literacy.

For children with special needs, two new special education schools will be built, and 35 additional blocks for special education will be constructed in existing schools with a total allocation of RM700 million.

KEMAS preschools will provide “Kelas Tunas Istimewa” for children with mild autism in every state, including at Tabika Komta Gong Kuin in Kuala Nerus, Tabika Kerupang 3 in Labuan, and Tabika FELDA Teloi Timur in Kuala Ketil, Kedah.

All 150,000 students with disabilities will receive a monthly allowance of RM150, and RM30 million will be used to improve school facilities and equipment to make them more accessible.

The government will also address education dropout rates through the Program Anak Kita in partnership with Yayasan Hasanah, with RM30 million allocated.

Teachers will receive RM115 million in training for the 2027 curriculum and STEM pedagogy.
For higher education, the Higher Education Ministry will receive RM18.6 billion, including over RM400 million for infrastructure maintenance and replacement of outdated equipment.

Support for students from low-income families will continue with RM4.4 billion for scholarships, loans, and allowances.

Private sector contributors will receive double tax deductions on eligible scholarships, covering bachelor’s degrees and professional qualifications in fields such as ICT, engineering, accounting, and finance.

The Celik Madani programme by PNB will continue, providing an initial RM50 investment in ASB or ASM accounts to 200,000 students, while 5 billion additional units will be offered under ASB 3 Didik and ASM.

Student welfare on campus will also be supported, with RM26 million for Dapur Madani and RM20 million for the MySiswa Job On Campus programme.

To address university accommodation shortages, KWSP and Universiti Malaya will collaborate to build 1,000 residential units.

From 2026, free PTPTN education will be provided to 5,800 low-income students, while PTPTN repayment will be waived for students who obtain first-class honours degrees from low- and middle-income families, benefiting around 6,000 borrowers.

The government will add 1,500 undergraduate slots across 10 fields of study in five research universities, covering law, accounting, economics, banking, Islamic finance, AI, and languages.

In the medical sector, two public-private partnership projects — the Health Technopolis at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the Universiti Malaya Health Metropolis — will provide modern healthcare access while supporting student training.

Public teaching hospitals will also be allowed to establish endowment funds, with all donations and resulting income fully tax-exempt.

Aeronautics education will receive RM16 million, with UniMAP developing the Air Space Sandbox in Sungai Batu Pahat, Perlis, the country’s first low-altitude flight testing facility, while UTHM will support the maritime aviation industry and train local amphibious pilots.