SANDAKAN: The fourth edition of the National Training Week (NTW) 2026 was launched in Sandakan last Saturday, making Sabah the first state in Borneo to host the launch of the national skills development initiative since its introduction in 2023.
Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan said the selection of Sandakan as the launch venue reflected Sabah’s important role in the nation’s human capital development agenda.
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He said the commitment of the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) and the Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma) in jointly organising NTW was reflected in the wide range of free training courses offered to participants.
“We hope participants will gain significant benefits through enhanced knowledge, new skills and improved employability in line with industry needs,” he said.Khairul said lifelong learning should become a culture embraced by society.
“When opportunities to upskill are provided, people should seize them, as they can open up greater employment opportunities and help reduce unemployment through the skills acquired from these courses,” he said.
He told reporters after officiating at the NTW 2026 launch at the Sandakan Community Hall, recently.
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Also present were HRD Corp Board Chairman Datuk Rusli Jaafar and HRD Corp Chief Financial Officer Norly Abdul Khalim.
Carrying the theme “Learn, Experience, Master,” NTW 2026 will be held from July 20 to 26, involving 856 training providers offering 4,471 courses to more than 18,471 participants nationwide.
The launch also saw the participation of 41 training providers in Sandakan.
The youngest participant was a six-year-old child who took part in the NTW colouring competition, while the oldest participants were a 65-year-old woman who attended a traditional kuih-making course and a 63-year-old woman who enrolled in a bead embroidery handicraft course.
Khairul said that, as of July 18, Sabah had recorded 1,436 individual registrations, including 713 from Sandakan, reflecting the encouraging public response to the programme.
He said the courses are offered through physical, online and hybrid formats, with some requiring only one or two days to complete, to encourage wider public participation.
Earlier in his speech, Rusli said everyone has the opportunity to learn something new, whether to advance their careers, develop their potential or simply explore interests they have never pursued before.
“Every policy introduced by HRD Corp and every programme we implement is aligned with the country’s human capital priorities,” he said.
He added that choosing Sandakan as the launch venue was more than symbolic, as it reflected HRD Corp’s commitment to ensuring learning and upskilling opportunities are accessible to all Malaysians, regardless of where they live.
The NTW 2026 finale is scheduled to take place in Penang on July 25 and 26.
Meanwhile, at the same event, Khairul presented educational excellence incentives to 149 outstanding 2025 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students from the Batu Sapi parliamentary constituency through a collaboration between his office, HRD Corp and Yayasan Bank Rakyat.
He said the education incentive programme, which has been implemented for several years, reflects the Government’s continued commitment to strengthening education in the constituency.
Students who obtained 5As or more received RM1,500, while those who scored 7As or more received RM2,000.
Beginning next year, the incentive will be increased to RM3,000 for students who achieve 9As or more to encourage greater academic excellence.
Khairul expressed hope that the initiative would continue to improve academic achievement among students in Batu Sapi while producing quality human capital for the country’s future.
