KUCHING: Institutions of higher learning such as Open University Malaysia (OUM) can play an effective role in producing skilled and knowledgeable workers to help Sarawak’s economy.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said the educational opportunities offered by such institutions would contribute towards developing a highly-educated workforce for various sectors.
“To become a developed state, we cannot depend solely on infrastructure or investment. We also need a skilled and educated workforce that is productive and disciplined,” he said when opening OUM’s new Learning Centre at Princess Garden Commercial Centre, Jalan Kuching-Serian, here on Monday.
His speech was read out by state Housing Minister Datuk Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg.
Taib said OUM’s presence in Sarawak had increased the opportunities for people to gain a qualification and enhance their skills, particularly the working population.
“The life-long learning concept advocated by OUM has enabled people from various social backgrounds to continually improve their skills and knowledge,” he said.
OUM president and vice-chancellor Prof Tan Sri Anuwar Ali said the university was formed to inculcate life-long learning among the public.
“Education does not end after secondary school or university but is a continuous process,” he said, adding that OUM offered a wide range of courses in various disciplines to meet the country’s needs.
The Kuching Learning Centre is one of 14 such centres owned by OUM nationwide.
Housed in a four-storey building, it is equipped with 40 tutorial rooms, four computer laboratories, a meeting room, a multi-purpose hall, prayer rooms and student lounges.
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