Najib launches tertiary education programme for needy

Najib says the government does not wait for the people to ask for such help, instead machinery is mobilised throughout the country for the people.

KUALA SELANGOR: Prime Minister Najib Razak on Monday launched the ‘Jelajah Pendidikan Bumiputera’ programme that aims to help 150,000 needy SPM and STPM school-leavers over a period of three years to pursue tertiary education.

He said the programme was a follow-up to the ‘Jelajah Destini Anak Bangsa’ programme that achieved a success rate of 96 per cent.

“Over the past five years, the Jelajah Destini Anak Bangsa programme helped 30,000 SPM and STPM school-leavers who faced financial constraints in pursuing tertiary education.

“If not for such a programme, these people would have had to live from hand to mouth … they may even have become criminals or drug addicts,” he said when launching the ‘Jelajah Pendidikan Bumiputera’ programme here.

Najib said the government did not wait for the people to ask for help, either in person or writing, but mobilised its machinery throughout the country to go to the people.

“So long as there is someone who wants an education, wants to succeed, we must offer (him or her) that opportunity,” he said.

Najib said the objective of the government’s struggle was not to cling on to power but it needed the power to provide the best for the people.

The Jelajah Pendidikan Bumiputera was a case in point, he said, adding that it was a new approach where the government provided the opportunity for people from poor families to acquire a good education.

“When I am asked what gives me boundless satisfaction, I say it is when I see the aid that we provide moulding an individual from a poor family to achieving excellence and success,” he said.

Najib said the people should not get carried away and stage demonstrations or gather here and there and issue declarations and what not.

“Ours is a genuine people’s declaration, most meaningful … we do not make declarations merely on paper … we implement programmes that can change the destiny of the people for the better,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he had allocated millions of ringgit in funds for aid programmes such as the education programme and would provide more funds in the future.

Najib also had good news for the people of Kuala Selangor. He announced the construction of new infrastructure in the district – a rural transformation centre, a community college, Sekolah Menengah Saujana Utama 2, a new building for the District Education Office and the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Medical Hospital in Puncak Alam.

He also announced an allocation of RM3 million to upgrade the wiring in old schools in the district.

About 3,000 students, local people and government staff attended the event.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob; Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid; Higher Education Minister Idris Jusoh and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin also attended the event.

Also present were Selangor Federal Action Council chairman Noh Omar; Kuala Selangor MP Irmohizam Ibrahim; Jelajah Pendidikan Bumiputera Main Committee chairman Prof Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar and Yayasan Destini Anak Bangsa chief executive officer Mohd Aizuddin Mohd Ghazali.

– BERNAMA