This was an increase of RM1.02 billion or 50.95% over the RM1.99 billion collected in 2020.

PTPTN chairman Wan Saiful Wan Jan regarded it as an encouraging achievement as it was the highest collection in three years, with RM1.14 billion recorded in 2018 and RM1.37 billion in 2019.

“The total amount of SSPN deposits accumulated until Dec 31, 2021 was RM10.88 billion, while the deposit receipts for 2021 was RM3.01 billion, which is 167.08% of the year’s target of RM1.8 billion,” he said in a statement today.

“This receipt is also 27.63% of the total deposits received since SSPN was introduced in 2004,” he said.

He said a total of 421,281 new SSPN accounts were opened last year, surpassing the annual target of 400,000. As of Dec 31, a total of 5.24 million accounts had been opened.

Wan Saiful said in an effort to improve its service to customers, PTPTN had introduced new channels for loan repayment and savings through strategic partnerships with other parties, such as ShopeePay, BESTPay, KiplePay, KelantanPay, PayHalal, AnsaraPay and SPayGlobal.

Apart from that, payment channels through internet banking such as JomPay and selected banks as well as e-payment services were also available.

This was in line with the PTPTN Strategic Plan 2021-2025, which was focused on PTPTN’s digitalisation efforts.

He said PTPTN would continue to provide the best service to customers in line with the new norms and developments in the digital world.

Wan Saiful said PTPTN assisted 140,977 students to further their studies at institutions of higher learning last year through approved education loans amounting to RM3.51 billion.

Of the total, 70,412 students or 49.95% were from the B40 group and involved loans totalling RM1.95 billion, while the repayment received last year was RM2.36 billion, an increase of RM1.01 billion or 74.53% compared to RM1.35 billion in 2020.