Jamalul Kiram
KOTA KINABALU: Yayasan Sabah Group announced an extra RM10 million in funding of educational scholarships for first-time students pursuing their tertiary education.
The director of Yayasan Sabah cum chief executive officer of Innoprise Corporation Sdn Bhd, Jamalul Kiram Zakaria said the fund, which amounts to RM10 million a year would be rolled out in separate phases in a year.
Jamalul also maintained that the additional educational funding as timely and much needed for subsistence.
“The number of Sabah students pursuing their studies at institutions of higher learning is increasing every year.
Most students come from low and middle-income families who need scholarships and loans. They are often faced with the problem of continuing their studies because they have to bear costs such as flight costs, registration fees and subsistence before getting offers from any sponsors. The educational assistance will surely come as handy for these students,” he said.
Jamalul also explained that for more than five decades, Yayasan Sabah Group has played the pivotal role of providing both educational opportunities and educational facilities for generations of Malaysians living in Sabah and has contributed to the Yayasan Sabah Group’s prolific educational achievement.
“The additional funding programme will undoubtedly provide the platform in producing a world-class graduate to every deserving student in Sabah,” he added.
Jamalul, who hailed the extra educational funding as one of Yayasan Sabah Group’s latest commitments this decade, also gave credit to the Chief Minister of Sabah cum Chairman of Yayasan Sabah Board of Trustees, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd Shafie bin Haji Apdal for being the brainchild of the fund.
“This special fund is the initiative of Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd Shafie in assisting outstanding and underprivileged students who have just enrolled in institutions of higher learning. Yayasan Sabah Group is extremely confident this initiative will certainly further enhance Yayasan Sabah Group’s education programmes in line with the direction and educational policies of the State Government,” he further added.
The fund is divided into two categories whereby first-year diploma and degree students enrolling in institutions of higher learning in Sabah will receive a one-off payment of RM1,000 per student while students entering institutions of higher learning in Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia will receive RM2,000 each.
Funds are also given to students enrolling in the Ministry of Education Malaysia Matriculation College as well as those pursuing foundation courses at any of the government-owned universities in Malaysia and certificate-level courses at Kolej Teknikal Yayasan Sabah.
An estimated 5,000 students from all over Sabah will receive their educational funding this year.
Selection criteria are based on each student’s Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) achievement and applicants must be a Malaysian citizen from Sabah with at least one Sabahan parent.
The inaugural launching of the educational fund will be held on September 21 at the Tun Ahmad Raffae Auditorium, Menara Tun Mustapha, Kota Kinabalu.
Shafie is expected to officiate the function.