By The Majangkim Office
KOTA KINABALU: Author’s Note & Policy Recommendations. This manifesto is written out of both duty and love. Duty, because Sabah’s rights in education were safeguarded at the formation of Malaysia and must not be forgotten. Love, because every Sabahan parent knows that education is the most precious gift we can give our children.
The arguments here are not meant to divide, but to remind. Remind us that autonomy in education is not a privilege—it is a covenant. Remind us that English is not a relic, but a bridge to the world.
Remind us that recognition of diverse pathways, such as the UEC, is part of honouring our plurality.
Yet words must lead to action. To renew this covenant, Sabah must take deliberate steps:
Establish a Sabah Education Board to design curriculum, oversee examinations, and manage teacher training.
Strengthen English as a language of precedence, while safeguarding Malay and native languages.
Recognize the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) for entry into Sabah’s universities and colleges, balanced with Bahasa Melayu proficiency.
Bridge the rural education divide by investing in digital infrastructure, scholarships, and community learning centers.
Entrust leadership to educators, not contractors, ensuring quality and moral guardianship over mere quantity.
If these words spark dialogue, reflection, or even disagreement, they have fulfilled their purpose. The future of Sabah lies not in silence, but in courage—the courage to shape a distinct path forward for generations yet to come.
Education as a Covenant
Education is the most important endeavour for every Sabahan. It is the most valuable gift a parent can give to a child, and it is common knowledge that this ministry must be entrusted to competent individuals.
As founding members of Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak occupy a unique position—one that demands deliberate safeguarding of their rights and autonomy.
When the Inter‑Governmental Committee (IGC) Report of 1962 safeguarded Sabah’s rights in education, it was not drafting a service contract. It was laying down a covenant: that education in Sabah must reflect plurality, dignity, and autonomy.
Today, that covenant demands renewal.
Education in Sabah must not bow to the dictates of a centralised system. It must stand upright as a pillar of plurality, a guardian of childhood, and a beacon of our rightful place in the federation and the wider world. We are not merely part of the Federation of Malaya—we are founding members of Malaysia, with our own autonomy and destiny laid upon us.
English as Precedence, English as the Way of the World
English is not a colonial relic—it is Sabah’s bridge to the world. It unites our diverse communities, opens doors to global knowledge, and ensures our children are not disadvantaged by federal uniformity.
Alongside Malay and native languages, English must remain the language of precedence in our schools.
English is the way of the world. It is the language of commerce. It is the language of treaties. It is the language of universities.
To deny our children mastery of English is to deny them entry into the global conversation. To uphold English as precedence is to uphold Sabah’s dignity and destiny.
Child Development as Destiny
Education is not merely about examinations. It is about nurturing children as the future of the state.
Holistic growth must balance intellect, culture, and moral dignity. Rural and indigenous children must be given equal access to quality education, bridging gaps in opportunity. Schools must be places of pride, not just classrooms of instruction.
Childhood is not a waiting room for adulthood; it is the very foundation of destiny. To neglect the child is to neglect the state. To invest in the child is to invest in Sabah’s legacy.
Sabah’s education system was designed to honour local dialects, ensure mastery of English and Malay, and protect autonomy from overextension of federal uniformity.
Sarawak, for example, has moved further by offering free education and university admission based on merit—a reminder that distinct paths are possible and necessary.
The Role of UEC Recognition
The Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), awarded by Chinese independent schools, is recognized by universities worldwide but remains contested within Malaysia.
For Sabah, UEC recognition is not just about examinations—it is about autonomy, inclusivity, and global opportunity.
Plurality & Autonomy: Recognizing UEC affirms Sabah’s right to embrace diverse educational pathways, in line with the covenant of the IGC.
Global Access: UEC opens doors to international universities and careers, ensuring Sabahans are not limited by federal uniformity.
Equity: Many families in Sabah send children to Chinese independent schools. Without recognition, these students face barriers despite holding globally valid qualifications.
Balance: Recognition can coexist with national requirements, such as proficiency in Bahasa Melayu, ensuring unity without sacrificing diversity.
UEC recognition matters because it strengthens Sabah’s distinct identity while preparing its children for the global stage. It is a practical expression of autonomy and a safeguard for plurality.
The Struggle of Veveonah Mosibin
Consider the story of Veveonah Mosibin, the young Sabahan who gained national attention when she climbed a tree in Pitas to sit for her online exams during the pandemic. In the cold, in the dark, surrounded by hornets and the sounds of the forest, she sought education where infrastructure had failed her.
Her courage went viral, but more importantly, it revealed the digital divide and the neglect of rural education.
Today, Veveonah is pursuing medicine, proving that resilience can triumph—but her struggle should never have been necessary.
Her story is a reminder: autonomy in education is not abstract. It is about ensuring that no child in Sabah must climb a tree to claim their right to learn.
Educators, Not Contractors
In a recent DUN sitting, YB Tham Yong Kau, a former school principal, posed pertinent questions to YB James Ratib, who holds the education portfolio of Sabah.
Between the lines of their exchange lay a hidden message. YB James reiterated that Sabah’s education system must align with the national framework. Yet YB Tham reminded us—quietly but firmly—that we have autonomy to shape our children’s destiny.
The Ministry of Education must be entrusted to an educator, not a contractor.
Educators safeguard curriculum, the art of instruction, and child development.
Contractors may build classrooms, but they cannot build minds.
To outsource education leadership is to reduce a constitutional safeguard into a commercial service, stripping it of its moral charge. Sabah does not need endless quantity—it needs quality. It needs leaders who understand that childhood is not a statistic, but a sacred trust.
A Distinct Path Forward
Sabah has the constitutional right to design its own curriculum, examinations, and teacher training. Federal abolition of exams does not bind us. Federal uniformity does not erase our plurality.
Sabah’s Education Ministry must assert its autonomy, not as rebellion, but as rightful inheritance under the IGC and MA63. It must be a ministry of guardianship, not subordination.
This is not a call to isolation, but to dignity. Sabah’s education system must be distinct, yet open; rooted in heritage, yet reaching for the world.
The Moral Obligation
Above all, the Education Ministry carries a moral obligation: to prepare the next generation of Sabahans. This duty is not optional, nor negotiable. It is a sacred trust.
Every policy must serve the child. Every curriculum must serve the child. Every classroom must serve the child.
The question is simple: are we equipping our children to inherit Sabah with confidence, dignity, and skill? Are we preparing them not only to survive, but to lead?
The ministry must therefore act not as a bureaucracy, but as a guardian of destiny—ensuring that the children of Sabah grow into citizens who can carry forward the covenant of plurality and autonomy.
The Inspirational Charge
We must remind ourselves that education is not a mere policy, but a moral charge. It is the shaping of minds, the nurturing of souls, and the preparation of citizens who will carry Sabah’s name into the future, long after we are gone.
