KUALA LUMPUR: Tertiary students with public study loans are aghast at the possibility of their loan amount being cut to cover only the tuition fees — and no longer extended to cover other expenses like subsistence.

Worried about the outcome of a study carried out by the Higher Education Ministry to rein in the growing budget of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), affected students are concerned their studies could be jeopardised by lack of funds.

PUTRAJAYA: The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) requires RM5 billion a year to ensure those qualified to pursue higher education are not deprived of the opportunity, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said.

He said the amount was required following an increase in the number of students pursuing higher education.

"At the moment, the allocation is RM3 billion but the ministry foresees that the amount will no longer be enough by 2013," he told reporters after opening the "Real Undergraduate Conference" here today.

RANI recently had the shock of her life from a letter sent by the National Higher  Education Fund Corporation
(PTPTN) stating she owed it thousands of ringgit. She  says she has been making monthly payments to service her study loan.

“I have been paying on my loan from PTPTN every month for years and it has  suddenly sent me a notice
saying I still owe a lot of money. There was no explanation as to why I owe such a large amount.”

KOKILA is really fedup. Her house phone is being inundated with calls from members of the public wanting information from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN). Her ordeal began on June 20, when PTPTN printed her house number on its pamphlets.

“People have since been calling my house and it has been very frustrating,” she said.

The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) has  changed its loan scheme to education-financing based on the Syariah concept.

The concept, which imposes a charge of one per cent a year, has been implemented for new students were given the loans in December last year.

PTPTN said the concept would also be offered to old students. "It will be carried out in stages from next month,
where those eligible will be notified through the short messaging system," it said in a statement.

THE Higher Education Ministry has decided to allow students to repay the RM1,500 loan advance from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) in three instalments instead of a lump sum, Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said.

SELINA from Ampang has deferred one year of her studies and wants to know if there will be any impact on the study loan she has taken from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN).

She syas that the agency has been contacted and that she has been told to write in to explain her position.

SELINA would like to know if by writing in, the agency will cancel her current study loan and ask for repayment or if the loan period can be extended.