The plea
from a previous student who took up a PTPTN loan but is not eligible
for the conversion to a scholarship does highlight an anomaly in the
current exercise. It seems the conversion of loans into scholarships
is only applicable to those who signed up before June 2006 or
graduated in 2010 and beyond. What happens to those not in this
category but had obtained first class degrees which is the criteria
for conversion to scholarships?
The conversion to scholarships does
prove that the government can afford to give free education if all
the students obtained good results such as a first class degree. A
scholarship means the student does not have to pay anything except
maybe to be absorbed into serving the government for a certain number
of years.
It does seem fine on paper but in
reality there are some who do not serve the government but are let
off as there are no vacancies or suitable posts for those graduates.
That fact in itself is a double whammy as the student do not have to
pay back for his education nor serve the government. He will be able
to seek employment in the private sector and indirectly it signifies
an exodus from the public sector of sorely needed talent and
expertise.
The PTPTN Chairman has
mentioned that education in public universities was subsidised 90 per
cent by the government while only 10 per cent was borne by students
through their loans. A little bit more money pumped into the
education budget should be able to make public universities fully
subsidised. Then the PTPTN loan is only needed for those attending
private universities.
Private universities are a different
animal altogether as they are a business entity and showing good
returns to their investors is the their priority. The fees at private
universities will be influenced by market demand and their reputation
as a good and reliable institute of higher learning. The fees can be
exorbitant for a middle income family and the PTPTN loan comes in
handy to ease the burden.
It would be a welcome move if even
those who are at private universities are given the chance to convert
their loans into scholarships if they achieve a high standard in
their final examinations.
Image from lifeisnotafairytaledude
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