TAMBUNAN: Efforts to preserve and elevate the heritage of Sabah’s indigenous communities have taken another step forward with the official establishment of Sekolah Adat Anak Negeri Sabah (Saans) Sungai Pegalan in the district.
The milestone was formalised during a High-Level Working Committee (AJKT) meeting held in Tambunan on July 11.
Saans Sungai Pegalan principal Dr Lily James Billy expressed her appreciation to committee members for their commitment and support in making the customary school a reality.
She said the establishment of the school marked a proactive step towards preserving, strengthening and passing down the customs, culture, language and identity of Sabah’s indigenous communities through a structured customary education system.
For 2026, Saans will focus on two key priorities – developing the Rumah Etnik Bunduliwan at its headquarters in Kg Lumawang, Tuaran, and securing land for a permanent campus for Saans Sungai Pegalan in Tambunan.
Dr Lily said both initiatives would provide a strong foundation for the institution to function as a centre for learning, research, documentation and cultural heritage preservation.
The committee also discussed programmes to increase community participation and strengthen collaboration with government agencies, higher education institutions, non-governmental organisations and local communities.
Established in 2019, Saans is a customary education institution dedicated to documenting and passing down indigenous knowledge to younger generations. Its first school was set up in Kg Lumawang, Tuaran, which now serves as its headquarters, teacher training centre and curriculum development centre.
Founded by Murug Vinangun Shalmon Sanangan, Saans was developed following extensive research into a structured customary education system for Sabah’s indigenous communities. The research was registered with the Malaysia Intellectual Property Corporation (MyIPO) in 2022.
Today, Saans has expanded to 41 ethnic schools across Sabah and collaborates with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) through the Sabah Native Customaries School Living Lab.
Efforts are also underway to nominate Saans for Unesco’s Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, a move that could bring international recognition to Sabah’s cultural heritage.
Saans offers a curriculum comprising 19 core subjects covering native law, customary land law, traditional arts, indigenous history, traditional medicine, native languages, cultural identity and indigenous knowledge systems.
The 2026 administration of Saans Sungai Pegalan will be led by Dr Lily as principal, assisted by deputy principal Dolores Micheal and a committee responsible for administration, finance and programme planning.
Dr Lily said the establishment of Saans Sungai Pegalan would help nurture a younger generation that is knowledgeable and proud of its ancestral identity and cultural heritage.