Sarawakian tertiary students from low-income families are set to receive free laptops and book vouchers as part of new initiatives outlined in the state budget for the following year, announced by Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The Premier revealed that the free laptops will be provided to students who have been accepted into public and private higher education institutions.
These students must come from households with a monthly income of RM1,500 or less to be eligible.
“This assistance aims to benefit 5,000 students, with an allocation of RM15 million in the budget,” Abang Johari said during the budget presentation at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly on Monday (Nov 20).
He emphasized that this initiative will empower students with the necessary technology to excel in their academic endeavors.
Additionally, Sarawakian students in public and private tertiary institutions will each receive a RM500 book voucher, with an allocation of RM17.5 million, expected to benefit 35,000 university and college students from low-income families.
The management of the book voucher initiative will be overseen by Yayasan Sarawak.
Abang Johari highlighted that these new initiatives are part of the state government’s efforts to alleviate the cost-of-living pressures experienced by low- and middle-income groups, particularly in terms of education expenses.
The state government will also continue to allocate funds for three existing student assistance schemes under Yayasan Sarawak, including increasing the allocation for the free tuition programme from RM10 million to RM15 million and providing an additional grant of RM2 million for the school uniform assistance programme.
Furthermore, a special grant of RM6 million will be allocated to Yayasan Sarawak to enhance its local scholarship programme by doubling the amount of assistance per student from RM400 to RM800.
“Through these initiatives, our students will be able to continue excelling in their studies, and we hope to provide support to those who require assistance to progress in their academic journey,” Abang Johari expressed.
