SERIAN: Bumiputera students are encouraged to enrol in international university campuses under the auspices of the Sarawak government through the BP40 Bursary Scheme offered by Yayasan Sarawak.
Yayasan Sarawak director Azmi Bujang said a total of 100 slots have been allocated for bumiputera students each at Swinburne University of Technology in Kuching, Sarawak College of Technology University (UCTS) in Sibu and Curtin University in Miri to further their studies.
He said the programme would serve to encourage as many bumiputera students as possible to further their studies at world-class universities throughout Sarawak.
“We do not want our children to miss this opportunity, especially those who are from the low-income (B40) families,” he said in his speech during the handover of school uniform vouchers by Yayasan Sarawak for Tebedu constituency at Dewan Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tebakang here yesterday.
Present to officiate at the ceremony was Sarawak Education, Science and Technological Research Minister cum Tebedu assemblyman Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong.
Explaining further, Azmi said the BP40 Bursary Scheme offered the same tuition fees as public universities.
“The actual fee at these universities is high — for example, for engineering courses, it can cost up to RM100,000 — but under this scheme, the fee can be as low as RM40,000.
“Various courses can also be taken whether it is Business, Engineering, Technology and so on.”
Apart from that, Azmi said Yayasan Sarawak is also providing assistance to bumiputera students who managed to continue their studies at public (IPTA) and private (IPTS) institutions of higher learning.
He said RM1,000 was given to students enrolling in local IPTAs and IPTSs, and RM1,500 for those enrolling in IPTAs and IPTSs in the Peninsular, Labuan and Sabah.
“I hope students who are eligible to enter IPTAs or IPTSs would apply for this assistance.
“Our target is the B40 students because we do not want them to miss the opportunity to enter these institutions of higher learning.”
On the school uniform assistance, Azmi said a total of 610 students were eligible.
The recipients comprised students from 27 schools namely three secondary schools and 24 primary schools.
Also present was Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus and Serian Resident Tuah Suni.
