Budget 2027 Allocation Strengthen Higher Education, Drive Innovation - MOHE
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 (Bernama) -- The increased allocation for the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) in Budget 2027 reflects the government's commitment to strengthening higher education institutions as centres of academic excellence, talent development and innovation.
In a statement today, MOHE said the increase in its allocation to RM19.1 billion under Budget 2027 demonstrated the government's commitment to expanding access to quality education and safeguarding student welfare.
It said RM800 million had been allocated to upgrade ageing infrastructure at public higher education institutions (IPTAs), including lecture halls, student accommodation and learning equipment, to improve comfort and the quality of the learning environment.
“These efforts are further strengthened through the development of Universiti Malaya's student residence, which will provide accommodation for 10,000 students, as well as a RM750 million investment by the Retirement Fund (Incorporated) (KWAP) through the Vista Kampus Project at six IPTAs.
“These initiatives not only improve campus facilities but also help address accommodation costs, rental housing and transport issues faced by students,” the ministry said.
On student welfare and the cost of living, MOHE said the increase in the FLYSiswa flight ticket subsidy to RM500 was expected to benefit more than 60,000 students at IPTAs, particularly by easing travel costs between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
Meanwhile, the MADANI Student Kitchen Programme at public universities would continue, with its implementation expanded to polytechnics and teacher education institutes (IPGs), ensuring more students had access to affordable meals throughout their studies.
In addition, an income tax deduction incentive of up to 10 per cent for external contributions to IPTAs had been introduced to encourage greater involvement by the corporate sector, industry players, alumni and the public in supporting university development and campus welfare.
“MOHE also welcomes the government's move to introduce greater flexibility in repayments of National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans, which is expected to benefit more than 400,000 borrowers.
“The measures include repayment deferments for borrowers earning less than RM2,500 a month, minimum repayments of RM50 for those earning between RM2,500 and RM3,000, and a 10 per cent discount for borrowers with no arrears who make consistent repayments,” it said.
The ministry added that tax incentives for employers who helped settle their employees' education loans also reflected a more comprehensive approach to easing graduates' financial commitments while strengthening the sustainability of higher education funding.
-- BERNAMA