Only graduates of 2010 are eligible for PTPTN loan exemption

By Chia Huey

Kuala Lumpur :The Ministry of Higher Education reaffirmed that only graduates of 2010 with first class degree honour are eligible to convert PTPTN loans to scholarship, which in other words, they are fully exempted from paying the loan.

The above news was made confirmed by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the Budget Plan 2010.

An officer from Ministry of Higher Education reasserted the privilege is only given solely for graduates with first class degree honour of year 2010. First class honours’ graduates before and after year 2010 are not subjected to the privilege.

This is an unanimous decision made by the cabinet after the issue was being brought to conferment by The Ministry of Higher Education.

In other words, the first class degree holders who obtained the PTPTN loan after 1 July 2005 and graduated before 2010 are not eligible to apply for conversion from loan to scholarship.

The officer further justified that it is due to the different grading system that each university has and therefore all the applications have to go through the examination of special committee to determine if they are qualified for the exemption. Not every application is assured with approval.

The case has undeniably caused a rift among first class honours graduates who obtained their PTPTN loan after 1 July 2005 and graduated before 2010.

Goh Chia Li, 27, a first class degree holder of 2006 from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) stated that she was shocked and disappointed after hearing the news.

“It was unfair for me as I had already received the black and white from the Ministry of Higher Education stating that I was fully exemption from paying the loan due to the result I attained.”

“And it was after few years later I was told this announcement which I could hardly accept as the money involved is of considerable amount.”

Goh expresses her dissaticfation over the change as she was one of the beneficiary of PTPTN loan exemption five years ago.

Teo Lee Hong, 23, an Environmental Science undergraduate from Univeristi Putra Malaysia (UPM) also expressed her dissatisfaction towards the case as the exemption from paying the loan had already been the one of the impetus for her study.

“We had been informed about the privilege years ago and strived so hard for it. Now, it seems like our efforts have gone into the drain.”

“To be able to be exempted from the loan payment means a lot to me as I am from an average-income family. The exemption would help to ease me as well as my family’s burden a lot.

Teo says that it was unfair to abolish the exemption as it has somehow become her impetus to study hard.