KUCHING: The number of students admitted to University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) has tripled since a scholarship was launched to cover the tuition fee of RM10,000 per student.
Duuring an exclusive interview with New Sarawak Tribune through a zoom application on Thursday, Vice Chancellor of UTS, Professor Datuk Dr Khairuddin Abdul Hamid said UTS took in almost 300 bumiputera and non-bumiputera students for its intake session last February compared to the usual intake of around 100 students previously.
“The announcement of the UTS Foundation Scholarship by Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg during the launch of UTS on November 10, 2021 gave new hope to the children from B40 and M40 families in the state.
“It was a very encouraging response especially since it was upgraded to a full-fledged university. The scholarship is very meaningful and special for Sarawakian children,” added Khairuddin.
He pointed out that about 63 students had received the scholarship which enabled more people in the state to pursue higher education and helped produce a professional workforce to drive Sarawak’s economic growth.
“For the February intake alone, more than half of the allocation for the scholarship to accommodate 100 students has already been given out.
“I am worried it is not enough because UTS still has a student intake session in April or May and another in September. In fact, maybe in April, the allocation will be used up on bumiputera and non-bumiputera students,” he said.
Khairuddin.revealed he would meet Abang Johari soon to discuss the matter..
“It is to find a way to help students who are not included in the first 100 students receive the scholarship,” he explained.
Khairuddin said that he was very glad with the positive impact of the scholarship because the main purpose of UTS was to provide education opportunities for children from low-income families.
“As a state public university owned by the Sarawak government, we want everyone regardless of background to have the opportunity to further their studies.
“In this case, UTS is a state public university that should be the main choice for parents to send their children. It aims to have a maximum capacity of 4,000 students by 2024,” he said.
UTS also offers Undergraduate and Postgraduate Scholarships, namely, Special Scholarship Scheme for Sarawakians by bearing 50 percent of the tuition fees of all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
