KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) recently adopted a new programme to help underprivileged students continue their studies at its campus.
The public university has introduced a new intake mode for its newly started 2013/2014 semester, which gives priority to students from poor families.
Vice Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah said 100 eligible students were selected to join the latest intake this year under the new approach.
“This is one of UMS’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) agendas to give the students involved a better access to higher education,” he said in his welcoming remarks during the Aku Janji oath-taking ceremony for the new intake at the university yesterday.
He explained that the students were chosen from the lists screened by several parties, such as the Education Department, Welfare Department, schools and local community leaders.
He added that UMS itself also made its own effort to find eligible students by going to the ground to assess the environment and socio-economic situation of the students listed as underprivileged by the related agencies before offering them suitable courses at the university.
He stressed that UMS will continue to assist and encourage the needy to pursue quality education, so that they could have better chances of helping themselves and their family break out of poverty.
“Efforts like this will continue because UMS subscribes to the noble agenda of the government to improve the living standard and economy of the poor through education,” he said, adding that the university will also set up a special committee for monitoring and nurturing the educational growth and personality of the students involved.
The move was also in line with the directive from the government to all IPTAs to take in Sijil Pelajaran Tinggi Malaysia (STPM) graduates who did not manage to secure a place at any institution based on the merit system.
A total of 4,954 new students took their oath at the ceremony, with 137 of them international students.
Harun, in his address, urged the new students to make full use of the opportunity given to them to gain as much knowledge as they can and to groom themselves into charismatic and productive individuals.
He said UMS has all the facilities students need to complete their studies and become highly marketable graduates.
“We have qualified and experienced academicians that would allow the students to achieve a great standard of education and professionalism like any other universities in the region. UMS also provides the facilities needed, such as a complete library that offers various important books, journals, thesis and even inter-library reference service with other libraries across the world,” he said.
In efforts to mould charismatic graduates, he said UMS had also come up with an ‘Etiquette’ book that contains guidelines and advice on various important aspects of life.
Harun urged the students to take advantage of the today’s advanced information and communication technologies to facilitate their studies, as well as to improve their command of the English language.