EDUCATION

DEVELOPM
ENT IN
SABAH AND
SARAWAK
 INTRODUCTION

• The British government did not

give due emphasis on the
development of vernacular
schools for the natives of Sabah
and Sarawak.
• Efforts to build schools in remote
areas were initiated by the
Christian missionaries.
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
• Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei were all once part of the powerful kingdom of Brunei. From the
sixteenth to the early nineteenth centuries, developments in Borneo were generally
separated from those on the peninsula of Malaysia, partly because of more limited
European involvement in Borneo.

• The eastern part of this region (now Sabah) was under the nominal control of the Sultan of
Sulu, a vassal of the Spanish Philippines. The rest was the territory of the Sultanate of
Brunei.

• That situation changed in 1839 when James Brooke, an independently wealthy former
British East India Company officer, arrived in Borneo. Brooke helped the sultan put down a
tribal rebellion and emerge victorious in a power struggle with other Brunei elites. In return,
the Sultan allowed Brooke to govern a territory (called Sarawak) in exchange for small
annual payments.
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
• In 1841, Brooke received the title of raja and the right to govern the Sarawak River District.
In 1846 his title was recognised as hereditary, and the "White Rajahs" began ruling
Sarawak as a recognised independent state. Through good relations and payments to the
Brunei sultan, Brooke and his descendants expanded Sarawak’s territory and governed it
with substantial autonomy from Britain.
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
• The Raja Brooke dynasty lasted 100 years. The British government eventually
acquired Sarawak after WWII when the third Raja Brooke realised he couldn’t
afford the area’s up-keep. In the early 20th century the British brought in Chinese
and Indians, which radically changed the country’s racial make-up.
 EDUCATION SYSTEM IN SABAH
• The Christian missionaries played a
vital role in the development of
education system.

• Before the North Borneo Company

took control, ethnic groups did not
receive any formal education.

• Malays were only given religious

education whereas other indigenous
groups were given traditional
education of their descendants.
• Missionaries from Roman Catholic
began to set up schools in towns
like Papar (1881) and Sandakan
namely:

I. St. Mary’s Primary School (1883)

II. St. Michael’s Primary School
(1888)
III. Convent School for girls (1891)

• English language was the medium

of instruction in most of the schools
in Sabah, followed by Mandarin and
Dusun language.
Roman Catholic Missionary Schools:

Roman Catholic missionaries played a crucial role

in the development of education in Sabah, setting
up schools in various towns, such as Papar and
Sandakan.

St. Mary’s Primary School (established in 1883)

and St. Michael’s Primary School (established in
1888) were among the early Roman Catholic
missionary schools.

The establishment of a Convent School for girls in

1891 further reflected the missionary efforts in
providing education to different segments of the
population
Medium of Instruction:

English served as the primary medium of

instruction in most schools established by the
Roman Catholic missionaries. This reflects the
influence of British colonial policies, where
English was promoted as the language of
education.

Mandarin, the Chinese language, was likely

used in some schools, reflecting the diverse
linguistic landscape of Sabah due to the
presence of different ethnic communities.

Dusun language, a local indigenous language,

might have been used in specific schools to
cater to the cultural and linguistic diversity of the
region.
Educational Diversity:

The use of multiple languages as mediums of

instruction indicates an awareness of the
linguistic diversity in Sabah and an attempt to
accommodate the various ethnic groups.

The inclusion of Mandarin and Dusun languages

in schools suggests an effort to make education
more accessible and culturally relevant to
different communities.
 Development
Development of
of Schools
Schools in
in Sabah
Sabah

● The first government-aided school

(primary school) was established in
Kota Belud in 1920.
● Malay language was used as the
medium of instruction.
● There were 79 private schools in
1939.
EDUCATION SYSTEM IN SARAWAK
● Ibans, Kelabit and Melanau received traditional education instead of formal
education.
● They were taught basic survival skills.
● Malay children were taught Islamic education.
• During Brooke administration, the education system in
Sarawak was managed by 3 groups namely:
i. Christian Missionaries
ii. The Brooke Government
iii. Chinese Community

• In 1938, Roman Catholic missionaries set up schools in

Kuching and Kanowit.
• The Anglican missionaries established schools in Sibu
and Kuching in 1938.
• All these schools used English language as the medium
of instruction.
● The Woodhead Report (1955) recommended that emphasis be made on the:
I. importance of primary education;
II. need to improve primary and secondary education;
III. provision for primary and secondary education, and
IV. need to establish a teaching service in North Borneo.
 National Education in Sarawak (Based on the Woodhead Report)
● Among the suggestions for the formation of a national education system in Sarawak
are:
● Create a multi-racial secondary school and use English as the medium of instruction.
● Standardize the syllabus and exams.
● Introducing textbooks based on local elements.
● Ensure civic education is formally taught in schools.
● The goal of national education aims to form a sense of belonging and loyalty.
 National Education in Sabah (Based on the Woodhead Report)
● Among the suggestions for the formation of a national education system in Sabah are:
● Improve the teaching of Malay and English in Chinese schools.
● English is taught in Malay schools and Malay is taught in English schools.
● Set exams in high school are conducted in English.
● The Colonial Education Ordinance of 1956 was introduced to continue the
Woodhead's plan.
○ The goals are:

○ Standardize the curriculum and exams covering primary and secondary levels.

○ Create a sense of togetherness among the races in Sabah.