BY: NORHAYATI UMOR
RABAT, MOROCCO, MAY 3: Dato’ Menteri Besar, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin said he was prevented from talking about the Peduli Siswa programme, a RM10 million education funding for Selangor born children, at four local universities.
He said, the universities had prevented the State Government to enter its compound to inform and explain about the programme.
“We face difficulties trying to contact the universities to explain about the programme however I was not allowed to enter.
“Nevertheless, the effort will not stop there, I will take the students out, particularly Selangor children, to meet them and give them the opportunity to benefit from this programme,” he said during his meeting with students in Rabat, Morocco.
In the 2017 Budget, RM10 million is allocated to fund Selangor children in Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) dan Universiti Teknologi Mara (UITM) through the Peduli Siswa programme.
The programme offers a variable academic loans based on students’ academic achievements.
This programme was created as the Federal Budget 2017 had slashed the allocation for higher education from RM13.38 billion in 2016 to RM12.13 billion.
All Selangor IPTA had their budgets cut between 17 to 23 percent for 2017.
“Budget contraction in academic sector will undermine the effort by universities managements to raise academic excellence.
“As a progressed state with high technology, innovative and creative, Selangor needs skilled and knowledgeable workforce. This must be embraced with support and aid in education for the students,” he said.
MB: Prevented from entering IPTA to explain Program Peduli Siswa
