The Sarawak Zone Outreach PROGRAMME involving the Public Institute of Higher Education (IPTA) and Public Skills Training Institution (ILKA) has managed to attract a large number of rural students especially in the Sungai Asap longhouse area as well as the residents of Pekan Belaga to enroll in UPUOnline which is currently open until 31 March.

The recent programme was jointly organised by the Student Admission Division of IPTA (BKPA), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus (UPMKB), Belaga District Education Office in collaboration with JKKK Uma Bakah and Belaga District Office.

The two-day programme involved two places, namely the Lamin Adet Bangen Kimet Uma Baha Hall, Sungai Asap and the Kampung Melayu Multipurpose Hall, Belaga. Among the activities held during the programme were educational forums, IPTA booth exhibitions and ILKA invitations, UPUONLINE registration, IPTA briefing and study programs and advisory services for IPTA Admission 2022. A total of nine agencies, IPTA and ILKA invitations in the booth exhibition consist of the Student Admission Division of IPTA (BKPA) or also known as UPU, Universiti Putra Malaysia Serdang Campus and Bintulu Sarawak Campus (UPM),

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Polytechnic, Community College and Bakun Trust Fund. The guest of honor who attended and subsequently became a panel member of the Education Forum was the State Assemblyman (ADUN) of N66 Murum, Kennedy Chuk Pai Ugon.

In addition, BKPA Director Wahi Nordin also joined the panel in the Education Forum programme entitled 'Improving Rural Higher Education'. In the opening ceremony of the programme, Keneddy expressed hope that the locals could take the opportunity to visit the nine booths provided and subsequently seek advice from university officials and the Public Skills Training Institute who were present in choosing the right program for students and children.

"Parents and residents who are present today are urged to pass on this information to our children especially our children in this area who are sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination. " We wish them success and will be able to get into the ivory towers of the universities of choice later," he added.

According to Wahi Nordin, the programme was intended as an effort by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, especially BKPA in disseminating information on opportunities to further public higher education to the local community. He said the target of the programme was among parents and students in the Bakun and Belaga areas.

He also hoped that students around Bakun and Belaga would be able to seize the opportunity to apply for admission to the IPTA and ILKA offered in Malaysia. (This article is prepared by the Head of Academic Management and Research Division of UPMKB Sarawak, Sudirman Asmadi).

Date of Input: 17/03/2022 | Updated: 12/10/2022 | lanz