KUCHING, Feb 16 — Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) will offer a Bachelor of Education in Iban language beginning next year, its vice-chancellor Professor Ahmad Hata Rasit said today.

He said the programme, to be offered at its Education, Language and Communication Faculty, is to address the current shortage of Iban language teachers in schools in the state.

"We hope to begin this programme in the first semester of the 2025/2026 session,” he said after paying a courtesy call on Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, who is also the university’s pro chancellor.

"Besides this, there are also plans to set up a Jabatan Bahasa-Bahasa Borneo which will include Bahasa Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau and Sarawak Malay dialect,” he added.