KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry will see a total allocation of RM18bil under Budget 2025, up from RM16.3bil in 2024.
A total allocation of RM4bil is provided in the form of scholarships, loans and educational allowances, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said when tabling the Budget in Parliament on Friday (Oct 18).
The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) will provide RM500mil in education funding, specifically for students who pursue STEM at institutions of higher learning, he added.
He also said that government-linked investment companies (GLIC) and government-linked companies (GLC) are committed to ensuring that at least 50% of scholarships are allocated to students from low- and middle-income families.
The government also plans to extend the individual tax relief on net savings in the National Education Savings Scheme (SSPN) for another three years, he added.
The Prime Minister also said that under the Ikhtiar Geran Padanan Ihsan (Gapai), the government is expanding the matching grant criteria to up to RM5,000 for savings in the Simpan SSPN accounts of students who continue their studies at institutions of higher learning to families earning up to RM6,000 for a period of two years.
He also announced that Permodalan Nasional Berhad will implement the Madani Literacy Programme, which offers a free ASB account with RM50 to 100,000 new students entering higher education.
RM635mil was also set aside to upgrade infrastructure, replace outdated equipment, and expand Internet access across all public universities.
In addition, RM20mil has been allocated to Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) to produce more electrical and electronics (E&E) engineers, enhancing bumputra participation in high-growth semiconductor sectors.
He also said that the government will cover 50% of the tuition fees or a maximum of RM15,000 under the APEL.Q Programme for public servants who have served for more than 15 years to further their studies at a higher level.
Anwar also announced that artificial intelligence (AI) education will be expanded to all research universities with funding increased to RM50mil, up from RM20mil.
He said Universiti Malaya will focus on using AI in the medical field to combat deadly diseases like cancer, while Universiti Putra Malaysia will establish a technology and cryptology management centre, in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa), to address cyber security threats.
He also announced that Universiti Sains Malaysia is exploring AI in semiconductors, aligning with Malaysia's status as a global semiconductor hub and enhancing collaboration with companies like Intel and Infineon.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia is leading AI translation efforts to elevate the Malay language as a language of knowledge, he added. He also announced that funding for research and development (R&D) has increased to RM600mil from RM510mil, under the Higher Education Ministry and the Science, Technology, and Innovation Ministry.
