Kuantan: Bumiputra students who achieve 10As or more in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination are assured of placements in two institutions under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), announced Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He revealed that MARA will also provide full scholarships to these outstanding students for their studies at Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia (UPTM).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid expressed his desire to extend opportunities to students who achieve between 5A and 10A, ensuring them a place at the university. This statement was made during the launch of the 2025 National Level MARA Education Foundation (YPM) Squad at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Silver Jubilee Hall. The event was attended by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and MARA chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
The YPM Squad has been initiated to provide quality education access to rural and B40 students, while promoting leadership, volunteerism, entrepreneurship, and unity among the younger generation. Ahmad Zahid, who also serves as the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, encouraged students with less academic prowess to pursue Technical Education and Training and Vocational (TVET) studies in the 1,398 institutions available nationwide. He noted a significant increase in applications for TVET institutions for the July session, highlighting a rise to 126,000 applications since they opened on April 15.
Moreover, Ahmad Zahid plans to request an allocation exceeding RM4 billion for MARA's expenses in the upcoming budget, set to be presented in October. This funding is intended to support the nation's educational agenda, including the implementation of various programs beneficial to the youth.
Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy announced the state government's commitment to fostering young leaders through the Pahang Lead Programme, approving a RM2 million allocation for its execution this year. Since its introduction in 2024, the program has been a strategic effort by the Pahang Foundation and the Pahang Education Department, reaching over 261,000 secondary school students across the state. Additionally, the Pahang state government has allocated RM500,000 to support education initiatives under YPM.