Sabah Continues to Prioritise Education Sector

The State Government will continue to prioritise human capital and education development under the Hala Tuju SMJ blueprint. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said that the Government has implemented several initiatives to assist students, spending RM1.33 billion over the past five years, in educational assistance, including RM138 million disbursed for the state scholarship in 2025 (which was increased from RM50 million from previous years) and that by 2026, the GRS-led government will increase the amount to cater for more high-achieving Sabah students.

The State Government also gave RM200 cash assistance to 40,000 students who sit for the SPM and STPM examinations each year. "Many among the 40,000 students are from not well-to-do families. When I took the LCE (Lower Cambridge Examination) in 1971, my mother had to borrow RM15 from relatives to pay for the examination fee. So, I understand poverty and life," Hajiji said at a speech on 21 August 2025 at the official opening of SK Bundung’s new school hall at Tuaran.

Although Sabah has made significant strides in developing Sabah's economy through the agriculture, tourism and industrial sectors, education remains a priority sector, Hajiji said. Schools and teachers can assist the government in disseminating accurate information on the government's policies and development programmes, Hajiji added.