Selangor: The Selangor state government has allocated RM20 million to cover half of the tuition fees for 4,000 Selangor-born students pursuing their studies at three state-owned higher education institutions.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari stated that the three institutions benefiting from this initiative are Universiti Islam Selangor (UIS), Universiti Selangor (UNISEL), and Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre (STDC). Amirudin highlighted that Selangor is one of only two states with the capacity to implement such an initiative, alongside Sarawak, which fully covers the costs. He emphasized that Selangor is the sole state in Peninsular Malaysia capable of bearing half of the tuition fees, at a cost of nearly RM20 million.
During the Selangor People's Tuition (PTRS) and Didik Kasih (PDK) 2026 programme in Section 7, Amirudin remarked on the substantial cost of providing quality education and skills training, viewing it as a long-term investment in producing a well-balanced younger generation. He mentioned the possibility of the state government considering full sponsorship for students at these institutions if the current format proves successful.
Amirudin expressed hopes for the future, stating that if the current programme succeeds, the state is prepared to implement free education for eligible students at Selangor's higher learning institutions. He aimed to demonstrate that free education is an achievable goal.
In another development, Amirudin noted improvements in this year's PTRS programme, which targets 180,000 primary and secondary school students in Selangor, compared to its initial phase in 2009. Among these students, 160,000 are Form 4 and Form 5 students receiving free tuition and food assistance, while the remaining 20,000 participants are involved in the Didik Kasih programme (PDK), focusing on Year 1 pupils in remedial classes to enhance literacy and numeracy skills.
The programme also addresses emotional and mental well-being, aiming to cultivate motivation, high self-esteem, and a positive mindset among participants, many of whom come from challenging backgrounds. Amirudin highlighted that a special task force, including former State Education Department officers and expert teachers, regularly reviews the module quality to ensure it meets the standards of commercial tuition providers.