As the world marks International Literacy Day and the Day to Protect Education from Attack, students in Sarawak are reminded that access to safe, quality education is a privilege worth taking seriously.
This week, two United Nations observance days fall back to back. Tuesday, 8 September is International Literacy Day, marking its 60th year under the theme Literacy for People, the Planet and Prosperity. Additionally, 9 September is International Day to Protect Education from Attack. This year, both days carry the theme Can Education Survive Attack? The Resilience of Human Communities. Both days point to the same thing: access to quality education in Sarawak, or anywhere else in the world, is not guaranteed. In reality, millions of people don’t get to learn safely, or at all.
Literacy in 2026 Is Not What It Used To Be
Reaching the 60th year of Literacy Day is a reminder of how far the world has come, and how far it still has to go. After all, over 739 million young people and adults worldwide still lack basic literacy skills.
In 2026, literacy means a lot more than it did in 1966. Of course, reading and writing are still the foundation. However, the world now expects other types of literacy. These are, namely, digital literacy, data literacy, media literacy as well as financial literacy. In practice, that means being able to navigate complex systems, evaluate information critically and operate in a knowledge-driven economy.
Sarawak’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS 2030) targets exactly this kind of human capital. Specifically, the state’s ambition to become a high-income, knowledge-driven economy depends on a workforce with those skills.
And a university education – the right one, at the right institution – is where that literacy takes shape.
The Privilege of Studying in Safety
The second day asks us to think about something most of us take for granted. In 2024 and 2025 alone, UNESCO recorded over 8,500 attacks on educational institutions – schools destroyed, universities bombed, teachers and students killed, injured or displaced. As a result, right now, 224 million children and young people need educational support because of conflict and crisis.
This year’s theme asks whether education can survive such attacks. For students in Sarawak, the answer has always been yes, and that is not something to take lightly.
What Quality Education in Sarawak Means for You
For Anak Sarawak, two things are worth keeping in mind.
The first is perspective. If you’re in Sarawak with access to quality education, you’re lucky – more so if you qualify for the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES). An Australian degree at no cost is something hundreds of millions of people elsewhere can only wish for.
The second is what you do with it. PCDS 2030 needs people fluent in digital tools, data and technical problem-solving, and that’s what Swinburne Sarawak builds into its programmes, whether you’re in engineering, computing, business, communications, science or design.
Furthermore, for many eligible Sarawakian students, that education is already fully funded.
This Week and Quality Education in Sarawak
On 8 and 9 September, take a moment to remember that getting an education – safely and fully – is not something everyone has. Importantly, quality education in Sarawak is the foundation for what the state is trying to build. And for many students here, it comes without the barriers millions of others face.
If this has made you think about your next step, our education counsellors are available to help. Visit swinburne.edu.my or reach us on WhatsApp at +60 19-819 6353.