KUALA LUMPUR: The number of students eligible for the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) free education initiative will depend on the number of applicants each year, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
He said that the number of applicants may vary depending on the situation and the application process.
“This list depends on the number of applicants each year," he said after delivering a keynote address at the EU-Asean Policy Dialogue on Higher Education: Enhancing Talent and Skills Development through Internalisation on Tuesday (Oct 14).
"As it is announced, we may have more than 5,800 applicants,” he added.
When tabling Budget 2026 last Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced free PTPTN education for 5,800 students from poor families pursuing studies at public higher education institutions.
This comes with an annual allocation of RM120mil.
Meanwhile, he also said the Higher Education Ministry plans to recognise Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and university academic degrees as equivalent qualifications.
“It is also in line with our current policy of Higher Education 2025-2035, when we go into unbundling our education concept.
"It is no longer based on the university's curriculum and must also be based on TVET,” he said.
Also present at the dialogue were European Union (EU) to Asean ambassador Sujiro Seam and Commission on Higher Education chairperson Dr Shirley Castañeda Agrupis.
Now in its third edition, the EU-Asean Policy Dialogue marks ongoing collaboration between the EU and Asean to create a more connected and dynamic higher education landscape.
This is achieved through the EU-Asean Sustainable Connectivity Package – Higher Education Programme (SCOPE-HE).
The dialogue brings together representatives from higher education and TVET institutions, ministries, and the private sector.
The goal is to explore ways to strengthen collaboration, foster academic and student mobility, and position Asean higher education as a global partner in innovation, excellence, and sustainability.
