Kota Kinabalu: A total of 159 underprivileged students at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sabah on Monday received a one-off financial assistance of RM500 each to ease their financial burden.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the RM79,500 allocation was disbursed under the MOHE-PTPTN Madani Education Assistance Programme, a joint initiative by the Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) and the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN).
“This initiative is a positive step towards ensuring that all eligible students have access to quality education regardless of their financial background, in line with MOHE and PTPTN’s commitment to strengthening higher education in Malaysia.
“The aid reflects MOHE and PTPTN’s concern for students in need of financial support to pursue their dreams,” he said at the presentation ceremony held at the university.
Zambry said the aid was contributed by various parties through PTPTN and subsequently distributed to deserving students.
He also encouraged parents to open National Education Savings Scheme (SSPN) accounts for their children’s future education needs.
“Parents can open an account as soon as their child is born and start saving gradually. Over time, the amount will grow and can later be used to fund higher education,” he said.
Meanwhile, PTPTN, in a statement issued after the event, said since the programme’s introduction in 2022, a total of RM981,000 has been disbursed to benefit 1,962 students across 16 public universities.
