SARAWAK will be made a new location for Jelajah Pendidikan Bumiputera (JPB), a programme aimed at enhancing the education level of the Bumiputeras, this year, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the programme, implemented since 2016, had covered locations in the peninsula and Sabah to help Malay and Bumiputera SPM leavers pursue higher education or skills training.

“This is a move to enhance the social status of the young people, which will directly improve the livelihoods of their household and family. We do this not only in the urban areas, but also rural areas.

“It is a combined efforts between the government and civil society groups, public and private institutions of higher learning, as well as the private sector, because we have to get out of the ‘silo jumud’ shell when we want to be a developed country,” he said when launching the 2018 programme at SM Sains Bagan Datuk in Bagan Datuk today.

It was attended by about 5,000 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) leavers from Bagan Datuk, Teluk Intan, and Sabak Bernam.

Bagan Datuk is the first location for JPB 2018. A total of 32 locations have been selected for the JPB programme this year.

Zahid, who is Bagan Datuk member of parliament, said it was not a campaign move for the approaching 14th general election (GE14).

“JPB has been carried out since 2016 to create vertical social mobility for young people nationwide,” he said.

As such, he urged the 2018 JPB committee to realise the target of getting 65,000 participating Malay and Bumiputera SPM leavers into 37 institutions of higher learning to pursue their studies or for skill training.

Zahid also announced an additional allocation of RM1 million for JPB 2018 to enable more Malays and Bumiputeras to pursue higher studies. – Bernama, March 24, 2018.