Sabah education ministry to act as ‘voice’ at federal level despite limited powers, says James Ratib
by Mariah Doksil · Borneo Post OnlineKOTA KINABALU (Dec 16): Sabah’s newly established Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation has no direct authority over education policy, which remains under the federal Ministry of Education, but can play a crucial role by championing the state’s needs at the national level, Datuk James Ratib said.
Winding up the debate at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, James acknowledged that education is a federal matter and that the state ministry’s core function is to coordinate and monitor federal education projects implemented in Sabah.
“Education powers are not with us. Our role is mainly to coordinate and monitor projects channelled by the federal government in Sabah.
“But as a state minister, I sit in federal-level meetings with other Exco members three or four times a year. That is where we can speak up for Sabah,” he said.
James stressed that having a state-level education portfolio gives Sabah a platform to raise long-standing issues directly with federal decision-makers, arguing that without a strong voice, the state risks being sidelined.
“If we do not ‘bark’, we will not be given,” he said candidly, drawing parallels with his previous experience handling the healthcare portfolio.
“Before this, we could only repair two or three dilapidated clinics a year. But after continuously raising the issue at the federal level, Sabah secured more than 100 upgrading projects within two years,” he said.
James said the same approach would now be applied to education, particularly in addressing the persistent problem of dilapidated schools and improving overall education quality in the state.
On digitalisation, James highlighted federal initiatives to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into classrooms, including the AI-Powered Classroom concept currently being piloted in 11 schools nationwide. In Sabah, SMK SANZAC has been selected for the pilot programme, which began in July 2025.
The programme involves strategic partners Apple and Sasbadi, and James said there were plans to propose its expansion to all district education offices in Sabah, subject to criteria such as trained teachers, adequate equipment and competent management.
Responding to concerns raised by Likas assemblyman Tham Yun Fook on overlapping roles between the federal Ministry of Education, the Sabah Education Department and the new state ministry, James reiterated that the state ministry does not replace existing structures.
“We do not have full power. Our power is to coordinate and to monitor, but more importantly, to voice Sabah’s problems so they can be considered at the federal level,” he said.
Tham later urged the state government to leverage the ministry to push for greater allocations, including funding to be channelled directly to the state ministry to accelerate the repair of dilapidated schools, in line with the target of achieving zero dilapidated schools in Sabah. He also proposed establishing a dedicated unit to handle higher education matters and to attract reputable foreign universities to set up campuses in the state.
Silam assemblyman Datuk Yusof Apdal, a former deputy higher education minister, supported the proposal, suggesting the establishment of a higher education department branch in Sabah.
In response, James agreed that the condition of dilapidated schools remained severe and reiterated that while the ministry lacked formal powers, its influence lay in persistent advocacy.
“This ministry may have no power, but we give it power by speaking up,” he said, calling for bipartisan cooperation to advance education in Sabah.
“Even though Likas is from the opposition, for the sake of our children and the future of this state, let us work together. I am particularly interested in the proposal on higher education,” he said.