KOTA KINABALU: The Education Ministry has agreed to incorporate Sabah's cultural identity into the national curriculum and education policy.
This decision was reached during the Joint Education Development Action Committee meeting for the state, held in Putrajaya recently.
In a statement today, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the meeting also saw the approval of a new request from the Sabah government for greater flexibility and autonomy in using disaster relief allocations based on actual needs and urgency.
"The Education Ministry agrees with this request and will improve existing standard operating procedures for emergency procurement to ensure efficient management of allocations and procurement methods," she said.
"This will ensure swift response during disasters and address related issues."
The meeting was co-chaired by Fadhlina and Sabah Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, who is also state education executive councillor.
The meeting also addressed teacher recruitment, dividing it into three regions — Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
"Additionally, the Education Ministry approved five additional requests from the Sabah government, similar to those granted to Sarawak," Fadhlina said.
"These include project planning, information sharing on senior staff transfers from the state Education Department to the ministry's headquarters, and educational data sharing."
She added that the meeting was harmonious, reflecting the ministry's and Sabah's shared commitment to enhancing education under the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963.