KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has allocated more than RM80 million to strengthen the state’s education sector through various initiatives under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) roadmap.
State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif said the allocation marks an increase from RM70 million previously, reflecting the government’s continued commitment to enhancing education, including religious studies.
He added that scholarship funding has also been raised to over RM100 million to ensure more students can pursue higher education.
“This means there should no longer be any reason for our children not to further their studies due to financial constraints, as various forms of assistance have been made available,” he said.
He spoke to reporters after officiating the 2025 Sijil Rendah Ugama (SRU) and Sijil Menengah Ugama (SMU) Excellent Students Awards ceremony at Wisma MUIS on Wednesday.
Arifin, who is also in charge of religious affairs, said the Majlis Ugama Islam Sabah (MUIS) contributes about RM40 million annually through zakat funds to support education, particularly in the religious field.
He noted that the government is also focusing on teachers’ welfare, including increasing the number of educators and upgrading positions to further strengthen the religious education system.
“The improvement in students’ performance in SRU and SMU reflects the effectiveness of continuous efforts by the government and relevant agencies,” he said.
At the event, Nur Aliya Raju Karno from Sekolah Agama Negeri Pekan Beaufort was named the best SRU student after scoring 98 per cent, while Balqis Nur Danisha Bahri from Sekolah Menengah Agama Negeri Toh Puan Hajjah Rahmah emerged as the top SMU student with 94.68 per cent.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Faezz Hakim Rahim from SMAN Kunak received recognition as the best student in the Tahfiz stream.
Also present were Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Isnin Aliasnih and senior officials from the state’s Islamic affairs department.
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