Increase in allowance for MARA-sponsored students abroad still being studied

SEPANG, May 26 (Bernama) -- The increase in allowance for overseas students sponsored by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) is still being studied, says Rural Development Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid. 

He said the ministry would be meeting the group to look deeper into the issue of rising cost of living at their respective places of stay.

“I will be meeting the (MARA-sponsored) students in the United Kingdom (UK) to know more about the cost of living there. This issue (rising cost of living) involves various places abroad.

“From the meeting, we will bring up the matter and propose an allowance increase to the Prime Minister and Finance Minister.” he told reporters after handing out the Rural Development Ministry’s Excellent Service and Appreciation Awards 2021 to 87 recipients, here, today.

On May 12, Mahdzir said the allowance for overseas students sponsored by MARA would be reviewed based on the study fees, locations of stay and utility costs.

This process is being handled by the ministry through a study on the rising cost of living faced by the MARA-sponsored students overseas, particularly in the UK and Ireland.

The National Liaison Body, UK & Eire had previously called for the restructuring of the cost of living allowance for students sponsored by the Public Service Department and MARA following the rising cost of living in the UK and Ireland to the point of causing hardship to these students .

Currently, 3,896 MARA-sponsored students are studying in various fields and stages in a number of countries including the UK (1,422 students), Jordan (297), Germany (291), India (234), Australia (226), Russia (85) and Spain (28).

Earlier, Mahdzir launched the ministry’s Human Resource Management Strategic Plan 2022-2025 which outlines six thrusts in developing human resource to be relevant to the current challenges which are becoming more complex.

These comprise strengthening the organisational capacity, developing quality manpower management, building manpower competency, improving management performance, recognition and rewards, and creating a culture of excellent performance.

-- BERNAMA