KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday shared several options for students who excelled in their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination last year to further their studies, including through the 9A+ Sponsorship Programme, which will open for application from today.
The prime minister said those who scored at least 9A+, would have a chance to receive sponsorship to pursue their tertiary education in selected fields either at public or private university in the country.
He said the Public Service Department (PSD) also had its Japan, South Korea, France and Germany (JKPJ) Special Programme, which offers sponsorship to excellent students wishing to pursue engineering, science and technology or social science studies.
“The application for the programme will open from March 19 to 26, 2018,” he posted in his blog NajibRazak.com yesterday.
Noting that the overall result of the 2017 SPM examination had showed an improvement with a national average grade of 4.9 compared to 5.05 in 2016, Najib said the programme was just part of the government’s initiatives to enable students to get more access to quality education.
Najib said during the tabling of the 2018 budget, an allocation of RM2.2 billion was announced for the distribution of sponsorship under the PSD, Higher Education Ministry and Health Ministry.
“A total of RM90 million has also been set aside for the MyBrain Programme which will benefit 10,600 students pursuing Master’s or doctorate degree,” he said.
Student of institutions of higher learning in the country are also receiving Book Voucher Aid of RM250.
The prime minister said the government had spent RM44 billion in sponsorship since 2009 as an investment to develop quality human capital and to ensure that the young generation, who are assets of the country, would be able to show their true potential.
He said the social mobility concept would continue to be implemented in a bid to develop a fair and inclusive society and country.
“I hope the sponsorship opportunity laid out by the government will not be wasted by our children. Grab this opportunity to create a better future and use it as a platform to give back to the country later,” he said. — Bernama