Kota Kinabalu: Sabah has allocated RM75.5 million this year to implement 13 education aid initiatives for students, schools, parent-teacher associations, and Sabah student associations both locally and abroad, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. He announced these measures while launching the State Higher Education Student Contribution (SENTOSA) at the Gaya Campus Institute of Teacher Education.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the initiatives being continued this year include the Higher Education Institution Registration Cash Assistance (BUDI), Ihsan Computer Assistance (BAIK), Special Examination Cash Assistance (BAKTI), and State Education Savings Assistance (BISTARI). The state government has allocated RM20 million for the BUDI initiative alone, targeting 10,000 students, while RM8 million has been set aside for BAKTI, aiming to benefit approximately 40,000 students this year.
Other initiatives include Parent-Teacher Association Activity Assistance (BAGUS), Sabah School Assistance (BISBAH), Minor School Maintenance Assistance (BALKIS), Special Education Programme Assistance (BANTU), Sabah Education Excellence Award (AKSA), Secretariat for Sabah Students in Malaysia (SEMESTA), and the Sabah Student Flight Ticket Assistance (GRS-SUBFLY). The government has also introduced a new initiative, the School Activity Contribution (SUKSES), providing each school in Sabah with RM3,000 in aid for conducting activities or purchasing necessary items.
Hajiji further announced an increase in the Sabah State Government Scholarship (BKNS) fund from RM51 million to RM128 million this year. Additionally, the GRS-SUBFLY subsidy assistance will be available for all public and private higher education students studying in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Labuan, with an RM600 contribution per student, totaling over RM10 million in expenditure.
Through SENTOSA, students studying in Sabah’s higher education institutions will receive a one-off RM300 cash assistance, involving an allocation of RM6 million and benefiting around 20,000 students.