Hajiji said this initiative would be for local students studying at University College Yayasan Sabah (UCSF) and Kolej Teknologi Yayasan Sabah (KTYS).

He said the state government also plans to introduce a loan subsidy policy for Sabahan students who take education loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) and Yayasan Sabah.

“This initiative will benefit more than 100,000 borrowers. I am optimistic that this policy is practical for the state government to implement in line with the state’s financial position in the future.

“This is proof of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government’s commitment to ensure that more Sabah children receive assistance while guaranteeing access to education.

“The state government places serious emphasis on education and human capital development because the younger generation reflects the future of our beloved state of Sabah,” Hajiji said at the Sabah Undergraduates Convention in Penampang.

The chief minister pointed out that his state administration has channelled over RM1.3 billion to the education sector since 2021.

He added that this was the largest amount of funds allocated for education in the state’s history.

“More than 14 education initiatives have been introduced. Among them are a one-off RM600 aid for Sabah students pursuing studies in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Labuan through the GRS-SubFly programme, as well as a RM300 assistance under the Sentosa initiative for students studying within the state.”

Hajiji said the state government has also given out RM136 million in scholarships this year.

He said these initiatives were made possible by the state government’s record high annual revenue of nearly RM7 billion.