RM164.01 million allocated for human capital development under RMK13

nabalunews

Mar 5

2 min read

5 March 2026

KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor announced that the State Government has allocated RM164.01 million for human capital development programmes in Sabah under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13).

“Human capital development remains a key priority as part of our initiatives to develop youth and guide them towards achieving progress and excellence."

“The fields of skills development and youth empowerment will be strengthened through the expansion of scholarships and educational assistance,” he stated at the opening of the Teachers’ Training Programme for the SMJ Robotics Competition at SJKC Lok Yuk today.

Datuk James Ratib, Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, delivered his speech on the occasion.

The Chief Minister highlighted that among the priority areas are the empowerment of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the enhancement of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), agricultural training, and digital technology, with particular focus on artificial intelligence (AI) literacy.

Hajiji emphasised that the state government continues to support efforts to broaden access to quality education in a more inclusive manner, especially initiatives that promote STEM and innovation as a learning culture within schools.

“We aim to ensure programmes like this are implemented in an orderly and systematic way through close collaboration among education authorities, schools, communities, and strategic partners, so that teachers receive the necessary support and students can enjoy meaningful learning experiences,” he said.

In this context, he remarked that the teachers’ training programme is highly significant, as it will better prepare students to understand technology, build confidence, and produce valuable innovations when their teachers are equipped with the right skills and tools.

“This programme does not merely introduce robotics as an additional activity but adopts a more structured approach through an implementation model in schools.

“This includes minimum infrastructure requirements, the utilisation of robotics kits, learning platforms, and Train-the-Trainer programmes to ensure effective implementation,” he explained.

Hajiji also highlighted that the use of the LEANBOT, a robotic learning toolkit, as the primary learning tool supports the integration of physical training and simulation through Digital Twin technology, alongside training accessories such as the Field Track/Field Model for testing activities and robotics challenges in classrooms, representing a vital hands-on approach.

“It enables students to learn through the experience of building, testing, making improvements, and ultimately gaining a deeper understanding of concepts, rather than merely memorising theories,” he concluded.