Kota Kinabalu: Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick wants Yayasan Bank Rakyat (YBR) to forge cooperation with Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) to finance students enrolled in the Kadazandusun language programme at the university.
He said the foundation, an agency under the Ministry, also plays a role in supporting educational development, including providing flexible financing to students in need.
In this regard, he viewed the proposed funding initiative as a means to attract more young people, especially from Sabah, to learn the Kadazandusun language.
“I propose a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between YBR and UPSI as an encouragement for students at UPSI or others who wish to pursue their tertiary studies in the Kadazandusun language.
“I’ll be visiting UPSI in January (next year), and I was made to understand that discussions between YBR and UPSI have been held earlier and the MoU is being finalised.
I wish to see it signed,” he told reporters here on Sunday night.
He said the cooperation also aims to ensure that there is no shortage of Kadazandusun language teachers in secondary or primary schools in Sabah, adding that currently, UPSI is the only university offering this field of study at the degree level.
