Kota Kinabalu: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has taken measures to ensure that rural students who have been accepted for courses in the university no longer decide to opt out at the last minute due to financial hardship.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor put the number of such disadvantaged students at up to 800 yearly and costly transport to the State Capital has been identified as reasons, among others.
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“While the university proposes to enrol 5,500 students each year, only 4,600 to 4,700 actually register, leaving a significant gap of students who choose not to pursue their studies,” said Prof. Dr Kasim at the forum titled “Peranan Keluarga Madani Dalam Malaysia Madani – Dari Rumah Ke Negara”, on Saturday.
“When we track these students, among the main reasons is poverty,” he said. These students are mostly from the Kadazan, Dusun, Murut and Rungus communities in Paitan, Pitas, Sook, Nabawan and the islands.
“Some students from Tawau with straight As are qualified to study medicine but choose to work in coffeeshops. When we check, we find that either one or both parents had passed away thus leaving them unable to pursue their studies,” he said.
UMS has implemented proactive measures to reach out to these disadvantaged students by offering scholarships, accommodation and other facilities.
“We bring them to the university, we give them allowances to pursue medicine, forestry, science and technology. These are our students from the outskirts, held back by poverty,” Kasim said.
He said many rural students from areas like Beluran, Pitas and Marak-Parak have never set foot in Kota Kinabalu, let alone travelled to Peninsular Malaysia to attend universities like Universiti Malaya, UKM or UUM.
“I therefore urge the Ministry of Higher Education to take care of students who are unable to pursue their studies due to such circumstances,” he said.
On the broader theme of Malaysia Madani which means a civilised and modern Malaysia, Kasim said education and knowledge are fundamental to national development.
“Since its establishment 31 years ago as the ninth public university in Malaysia, UMS has produced more than 95,000 graduates as of its recent 27th convocation.
“The role of this university is to build the civilisation we want, to make Malaysia a developed country. Our struggle is how this university contributes to the welfare of society and the development of the country,” he said.
UMS research shows most of its students come from B40 families, with parents who prioritise education despite their economic struggles.
“From our research and discussions with these students, their main motivation is their parents. Therefore our Forum’s topic ‘From home to Nation’ is indeed appropriate.
We need to shake the ball from the mound before it hardens,” he said, pointing to the importance of early intervention.
Citing the transformative power of education and parental commitment, Kasim shared his own humble beginnings with the audience.
“I was born into a poor family. My mother and father had no formal schooling. My father was a fisherman, my mother knew how to plant rice. But because of my parents’ concern that education was very important, that made me what I am today as a Vice-Chancellor and professor at UMS,” he said.
He recalled that at 19, he was already studying in the United States, pointing out that poverty need not be a permanent barrier when families prioritise education.
“If even with the existence of this university (UMS), students find it difficult or have no desire to pursue higher education, how can we build civilisation?
“The role of parents from home is to emphasise that knowledge is a priority. These students are future leaders, the successors to development. Knowledge is more important than everything else,” he said.
He also noted that 73 per cent of UMS students are female, reflecting a trend across all Malaysian public universities where over 70 per cent of students are female.
To address this gender imbalance and cater to different learning preferences, he advocated for more polytechnics, vocational schools and technical institutions in Sabah, noting that many male students prefer hands-on training.
Looking ahead, he said UMS will introduce several new programmes next year, including logistics management, geriatrics, artificial intelligence, safety and health, and following approval from the Ministry of Higher Education, a Faculty of Law, making UMS and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak the only universities in East Malaysia authorised to offer law programmes.
The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led State Government has also taken steps to ensure young Sabahans do not miss out on higher education, as it is one of the means of getting out of poverty.
It proposed a higher RM204.72 million allocation for education in the 2026 State Budget last Friday, to ensure no student is left behind due to financial constraints.
For the record, through its Finance Ministry, the State Government has earmarked RM186.54 million for Supply and RM18.18 million for Development under the State Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation in the recently tabled budget.
To ensure more opportunities for Sabah’s children to pursue higher education, the State Government provides various forms of assistance through funding and facilities that directly address financial barriers.
Scholarships, bursaries, and assistance to students under the Sabah Public Service Department will continue to be offered, while 13 existing educational assistance programmes will operate throughout 2026.
These initiatives include the One-off Higher Learning Institute Registration Cash Assistance (Budi), which helps students overcome initial enrolment costs, Computer Assistance (Baik) to ensure students have necessary technology for their studies; and Special Cash Assistance for Examination (Bakti) to support students during critical assessment periods.
The Sabah Student Flight Ticket Subsidy (SUBFLY) addresses one of the most significant cost barriers for Sabah students attending universities in Peninsular Malaysia, while Assistance for Tertiary Education Students in Sabah (Sentosa) provides ongoing support throughout their academic journey.
In a notable enhancement for 2026, the government has introduced the MUET Registration Fee Assistance (Bayu) of RM150 per person, expected to benefit 8,458 students sitting for the MUET examination, an important requirement for university admission that previously posed a financial hurdle for many families.
In addition to direct government programmes, other agencies including Yayasan Sabah and the Sabah Islamic Religious Council also offer educational assistance, creating a comprehensive support ecosystem for Sabah students.
