KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) has allocated RM231,000 to ease the financial burden of 462 needy students in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
PTPTN, a corporation under the Higher Education Ministry (KPT), said the allocation was one of its initiatives through the KPT-PTPTN Prihatin Study Assistance programme to help underprivileged students.
“Each USM student from the poor and hardcore poor families is eligible to receive one-off assistance of RM500, which was deposited into their bank account.
“This programme is also implemented in collaboration with the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department and USM to ensure that the recipients are from the eligible target group,” it said in a statement today.
The presentation ceremony was held at the university’s Al-Malik Khalid Mosque, Penang, yesterday, in conjunction with USM’s breaking of the fast event, which was attended by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
Also present were USM Board of Governors chairman Datuk Seri Dr Awang Adek Hussin, USM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Ir Dr Abdul Rahman Mohamed and PTPTN chief executive Ahmad Dasuki Abdul Majid.
PTPTN said the KPT-PTPTN Prihatin Study Assistance was also channelled to needy students at other higher education institutions to ease their financial burden.
“PTPTN is always concerned about the welfare of students, especially PTPTN borrowers, by providing various initiatives for their benefit.
“It is hoped that this KPT-PTPTN Prihatin Study Assistance initiative will motivate students to continue to achieve great success in academics and personality, thus becoming the pride of their parents,” it added.
