Kuala Lumpur: The Sarawak Government will begin implementing the standard assessment for the Dual Language Programme (DLP) according to the international standards of Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUP and A) for Year Six students in the state starting October this year. Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that the Ministry of Education has granted approval for the Sarawak Ministry of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development (MEITD) to collaborate with Cambridge University in rolling out the initiative.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, ‘This DLP programme will be reviewed and validated by Cambridge University Press and Assessment to ensure its implementation aligns with international standards,’ he said in a statement released by the Sarawak Public Communications Unit (UKAS) today. The statement was issued after the signing of a service contract between CUP and A and Swinburne Innovation Malaysia (SWIM) in Cambridge, United Kingdom (UK) on Wednesday. The event was part of the Premier’s working visit to the UK, which began on Tuesday. Jane Mann, Managing Director of Partnerships for Education at CUP and A, represented the Cambridge side, while SWIM was represented by its CEO, George Ngui.
According to Abang Johari, the programme will involve the use of Bahasa Malaysia following the national curriculum, while English will be used as a secondary medium of assessment based on Cambridge’s international syllabus. Swinburne University, a strategic partner in the initiative, will work with Cambridge on implementing the assessments in Sarawak and is recognised in global university rankings.
‘This initiative aims to produce students proficient in both languages, thereby equipping them to pursue higher education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields,’ he said. The Premier also noted that MEITD is working with Cambridge University to develop a range of high-standard bilingual programmes and scholarship opportunities designed to allow Sarawakian students to pursue studies in emerging strategic economic sectors.
He said both parties have also agreed to place qualified Sarawakian students from international school systems into prestigious global institutions, including the University of Cambridge, Oxford, and the London School of Economics in the UK, as well as Harvard University in the United States. ‘Sarawak is targeting a special quota of 10 placements for outstanding students in certain fields,’ he added.