RM2.37 mln PTPTN advance for 1,578 Sabah students
KOTA MARUDU: Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili lauds the Government’s aid for needy students who have gained entry into institutions of higher learning to enable them to proceed with their education.
Dr Maximus, who is also Kota Marudu MP, said that such aid was really welcomed and more ways should be identified to assist the students to gain higher education and not be impeded by financial difficulties.
“Many parents in the rural areas are keen to send their children to colleges and universities but due to lack of money they at times had to mortgage off their land, sell off their belongings or seek help from their elected representatives.
“But now many are assisted through schemes such as The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) advance payment where the students are given RM1,500 in advance to enable them to pay for travel cost, expenses and fees while they settle in.
“Such assistance is really welcomed as it lightens the burden of the students, especially in Sabah and Sarawak where travel cost will be higher,” he said last night before handing over PTPTN advance payment to students from his Kota Marudu constituency who will enter polytechnics all over the country for the November 2014/2015 intake.
For this intake, a total of 58 new Polytechnic students from Kota Marudu are eligible for the PTPTN advance payment, involving a sum of RM87,000.
For the whole country, PTPTN has allocated a sum of RM24.4 million for 16,288 students who are enrolling for courses in the polytechnics. Out of this, 1,578 recipients are from Sabah who will receive a total of RM2.37 million.
Dr Maximus also encouraged parents to take advantage of opportunities available to further their children’s studies.
“The advanced payment is also given so that the students can worry less about money and concentrate on their studies,” he said.
He pointed out that more opportunities were available today for students to pursue education including better access to higher learning institutions, polytechnics and colleges, scholarships and study loans.
“Now it is up to the students to excel in their SPM or STPM so that they can advance to tertiary level.
“I also hope that once you get the financial aid such as the PTPTN loan, you will carry out your duty to repay back the loans as soon as you gain employment and not become a loan defaulter. The repayment will allow the Government to continue using the funds to assist other students like yourselves,” he told the student recipients of the PTPTN advance payment.