Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today announced that the allocation for the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) financing totalling RM5 billion would continue to be channelled to undergraduates.

Najib, in announcing the recalibration of Budget 2016 here, gave the assurance and commitment of the government saying that this is to ensure the education and future of Malaysians not being jeopardised.

In his speech, Najib also said that the four Public Service Department (JPA) sponsorship programmes for 2016 will continue.

The programmes include one encompassing the National Scholarship Programme for the top 20 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia students to further their studies at leading universities in the world.

The others are Special Engineering Programme for 200 students to Japan, Korea, Germany and France; Bursary Graduate Programme for 744 students to pursue undergraduate studies in public universities and private institutions of higher learning in the country; and the new intake of 8,000 students to be awarded scholarships to pursue undergraduate studies in the country.


Meanwhile, Najib also announced that the MyBrain15, Academic Training Scheme for Bumiputera (SLAB) and Academic Training Scheme of Public Higher Education Institutions (SLAI) programmes will be continued.

He said the government had agreed to an increase of 15,000 new students for MYMaster programme, 5,000 for MyPhD, and 300 for SLAI from the current 25,000 pursuing studies under these programmes.

He added that these programmes will be given an additional allocation of RM300 million.