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“高等教育奖助学金”需要更多人的支持，造福莘莘学子。（档案照）
‘Tertiary Education Grant’ needs more support for the benefit of students. (File photo)
Why do you need this education grant, student?

– Talking about ‘Tertiary Education Grant’

by Sek Chin Yong

‘Why do you need this education grant, student?’ sister and brother are still studying. After graduating
Every year, for every applicant, we need to repeat from secondary school, I work during the semester
this sentence. From 1985 to the present, we have breaks and accumulate some savings, living frugally
repeated it more than two thousand times. and not wanting to ask my mom for daily household
expenses. Therefore, I now work on weekends and
‘My mother is diagnosed with cancer and is unable during the semester breaks to earn money.’
to work. My younger siblings and I are still studying.
My dad is a freelancer and will only get paid when In recent years, we also notice there has been an
there is work. My dad, on the other hand, is the sole increase in the number of applicants who need to
breadwinner of the family and must bear the burden work to earn money in their spare time. When they
of mother’s huge medical bills. I hope to get this
education grant, at least I do not need to ask for living
expenses from my dad this semester.’
How long can an education grant of RM 1,000 sustain
the living expenses of a varsity student? Food costs
alone can cause the grant tolast only about three
months, which is less than a semester.

We do not have exact data but based on the
categorisation of family background of applicants
in the past few years, 10% of the students’ family
members were sick and they needed to rely on the
family’s only source of income for medical treatment.
近年来，马来西亚佛教发展基金会更积极的处理宣传工作，鼓励需要的大专
‘I come from a single-parent family, and my dad passed 佛教青年申请奖助学金。（档案照）
away when I was a child. My mom is just a nanny In recent years, YBBM has been more proactive in handling publicity work to
encourage university Buddhist youth in need to apply for the education grant.
with a limited income, and we are a B40 family. My (File photo)