She said the RM14.5 billion allocation for the ministry will help it and its agencies to implement development programmes for higher education and technical and vocational education and training.

RM11.5 billion of the allocation is for administration expenditure and RM3 billion for development expenditure.

Noraini highlighted 15 initiatives to aid graduates and the ministry.

Among them is a scheme to provide computer tablets to 600,000 undergraduates from the B40 (lower-income) families, for which an allocation of RM450 million has been provided.

Technical and vocational education and training will be empowered with an allocation of RM6.6 billion, with RM200 million allocated for joint venture programmes with the industry, she said.

An allocation of RM423 million will go towards research and development, which includes RM295 million to public universities for developing research and innovation and encouraging cooperation with industry.

Other initiatives include repayment discounts on higher education student loans, one-off aid of RM150 for youth aged 18 to 20, as well as full-time tertiary students, for purchasing useful items such as books and learning equipment.