[UPDATED] Petronas-sponsored students to receive increased allowances: PM 

KUALA LUMPUR – Petronas has increased allowances for students that the national petroleum giant is sponsoring, announced Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today.

The allowances, which saw an increase from RM1,000 to RM1,500, will affect 2,267 students under two different categories and are meant for their study materials and books.

Similarly, Ismail Sabri also announced that RM500 will be given to Petronas students studying abroad.

“Students recently accepted into the Petronas Education Sponsorship Programme (PESP) will see their onboarding allowance increased from RM4,500 to RM5,000

“The increased allowance takes into account the rising cost of living.

“It is hoped this will help alleviate the burden of the students and their parents while easing the learning process along the way,” said Ismail Sabri as quoted by The Vibes’ Bahasa Malaysia sister publication Getaran.

Ismail Sabri made the announcement during the 2022 PESP award ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.

Ismail Sabri also lauded Petronas’ contribution in the field of education, stating that the company has contributed RM1 billion to numerous initiatives and programs.

This includes the construction of two Maktab Rendah Sains Mara buildings with an allocation of RM211 million.

Other education programs by Petronas included its Discover PETRONAS@School which aimed to expose students to career planning and Petronas’s Graduate Employability Enhancement Scheme (GEES) which aims to enhance the employability of new graduates to obtain long-term employment.

Similarly, over 78,000 of B40 students nationwide have benefited from the Back to School program under Yayasan Petronas, which motivates students to return to school whilst providing much-needed learning tools to learners, said Ismail Sabri.

“Teachers are also given attention through the Duta Guru Petronas programme with the cooperation with the ministry of education where they help some 4,500 teachers with the necessary skills and know-how to be high-performing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) educators,” he said.

Petronas has also helped some 4,000 graduates, 70% of whom are local, to be employed while aiding another 11,450 youth to receive Technical and Vocational Education Training,” said Ismail Sabri. – The Vibes, September 20, 2022