By Ameerah Angelina
GOMBAK, 30 October 2020: Approximately 76,153 new students attending public universities during the 2020/2021 academic session will be receiving RM50 cash for data plan expenses or other necessities with the total budget of RM3.8 million allocated to the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE).
Students in colleges and universities have been placed with additional worry regarding Internet access and connectivity when all higher education institutions have been instructed to conduct registration of students and online classes due to the recent spike in the COVID-19 cases nationwide.
Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Dr. Noraini Ahmad today launched a Data Plan Package and Gadgets Ceremony live on the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE)’s official Facebook account (@MOHEOfficial) at 3.30 p.m.
This initiative was taken in the hope of reducing students’ burden from having to bear on their own additional cost for better Internet or data plan to participate in E-learning which have caused a heavy burden, especially for students from the B40 group.
Around 320,396 students from the B40 group will receive data plan assistance in the form of sim cards, vouchers, or cash.
A total of 8,965 targeted B40 students are receiving assistance in the form of gadgets or financial help which can be either in the form of vouchers or cash.
Among this, 5,965 B40 students will receive free laptops. Around 300 units of laptops will be lent to targeted B40 students, and 2,700 students will be receiving cash. On top of that, all higher education students are eligible for special discounts from Acer and Samsung.
With these initiatives, MoHE is committed to ensure that all students will have the same access and opportunity to participate in online learning regardless of where they are. This is all made possible with donations and collaborations among various agencies, universities and service providers.***