Published on: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 |
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Foundation (YS) is introducing a new State scholarship for a three-year diploma course in nursing.
Thirty Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) school-leavers will be eligible for the award which will be handed out this year.
The foundation recently signed an agreement with the Melaka International Islamic College of Technology for local students here to pursue nursing studies there.
Its Group Manager for Education Development, Haji Darus Nasir, said it is offering the new scholarship as the State is faced with a shortage of nurses. According to him, the Melaka College has agreed to provide 30 seats for successful applicants from Sabah to do nursing.
In this respect, he said, the agency has allocated about RM210,000 this year to sponsor the 30 eligible applicants.
"We will sponsor the RM7,000 each successful applicant needs annually. The new intake would be this June. So, for a three-year diploma, we will be sponsoring RM21,000 for each student to complete the studies," he said.
Darus said this to Daily Express after representing YS Director, Tan Sri Khalil Jamalul, at a motivation and education seminar for primary schools held at Airport View Hotel, here, Tuesday.
A total of 60 primary school teachers from West Coast Zone participated in the one-day seminar organised by YS to refresh their knowledge and teaching methods as well as to enhance their capabilities and self-motivation.
According to Darus on completion of their studies, the scholarship recipients would be required to work in the public sector in the State for between three and five years.
As for the top 2005 SPM achievers, he explained that the State Excellence Scholarship Award has allotted 15 seats for Bumiputeras with the remaining 10 seats opened to Bumiputera and non-Bumiputeras.
For this award, he said, the foundation has allocated about RM120,000 this year for the 25 successful applicants who would be encouraged to study locally.
Darus said as for students who wish to study medicine overseas, the foundation has the YS-Russia Medical Studies Scholarship Award which would sponsor 10 students for the new intake in September this year.
"We have allocated about RM300,000 this year for 10 successful applicants to study medicine in Kursk University in Russia.
"Presently, we have 21 sponsored students doing medicine at the university since 2004," he said.
In all, he said, the foundation would be spending about RM630,000 this year on scholarships.
On study loans, Darus said a total of RM3 million meant for 500 people is up grabs for diploma and degree level studies at local universities and private colleges in the country.
