Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Government has allocated more than RM100 million for the state scholarship scheme (BKNS) this year, underscoring its commitment to strengthening human capital development.
The allocation will benefit thousands of students pursuing studies at various levels, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Stem).
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the allocation would cover existing scholarship recipients as well as new sponsorships for 2026, involving a total of 2,182 students pursuing diploma, bachelor’s degree and master’s degree programmes.
He said the total number of BKNS scholarship recipients has now reached 13,389, reflecting the State Government’s commitment to ensuring more Sabahans have access to quality education.
“The State Government has always prioritised education development as it is the foundation for producing knowledgeable, skilled and competitive human capital,” he said when officiating the 37th Sabah State Excellent Scholarship Awards presentation ceremony at Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), here, Thursday.
Hajiji, who is also Chairman of the Yayasan Sabah Board of Trustees, said BKNS has added 10 recipients to the Sabah State Government Excellent Scholarship Award this year, bringing the total number of recipients to 60.
He said the State Government also offers several major scholarship schemes, including the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah Excellence Scholarship, Premier Scholarship, Sabah State Government Excellent Scholarship and the B40 and Rural Programme Scholarship.
He added that the Yayasan Sabah Group has also increased the number of recipients of the Sabah Excellent Scholarship Award by 10 to 50 recipients this year in recognition of the academic excellence of Sabah students.
Hajiji said the State Government is also expanding educational opportunities in the healthcare sector, with 30 Sabahans to be selected for a talent development programme covering the Diploma in Medical and Health Sciences, Diploma in Physiotherapy and Bachelor of Science in Cardiovascular Technology.
He said the programme is implemented through a strategic collaboration between the Yayasan Sabah Group, the National Heart Institute (IJN) and IJN University College under a memorandum of understanding signed in April to strengthen the development of the State’s future healthcare workforce.
The initiative is in line with Sabah’s need to increase its pool of skilled healthcare professionals while providing more Sabahans with opportunities to undergo professional training in critical fields expected to be in high demand in the future, he said.
At the same time, 15 Sabahans are currently undergoing the Patient Care Assistant Programme at IJN University College through an initiative coordinated by Yayasan Sabah via University College Sabah Foundation (UCSF), further expanding access to quality healthcare skills training.
Hajiji said the State Government also provides various forms of educational assistance to ease the financial burden on students and families facing rising education costs.
He said since its introduction, the Sabah State Government Excellent Scholarship (BCKNS) has benefited 835 recipients with a total expenditure of RM141.29 million, while the Sabah State Education Fund (TPNS), launched in 2022, has assisted 15,629 recipients involving allocations exceeding RM25 million.
“In addition, the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (Muis), through its Zakat and Fitrah Division, continues to provide educational assistance to students pursuing higher education, including initial tuition fee assistance and flight tickets, with total expenditure exceeding RM12.7 million from January to June this year,” he said.
Hajiji said the Deputy State Secretary (Special Duties) Office has also continued implementing the 14 education initiatives introduced since 2021, including the One-Off Higher Education Institution Registration Cash Assistance (Budi), Special Examination Assistance (Bakti), Computer Assistance Programme (Baik), Sabah Student Flight Ticket Subsidy (Subfly) and Higher Education Student Assistance in Sabah (Sentosa).
He described the improvement in the State’s education performance as a positive indicator, noting that Sabah recorded a State Average Grade (GPN) of 4.85 in the 2025 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, compared with 5.00 the previous year, marking the first time the State achieved a GPN below the 5.00 threshold.
He urged students to continue striving for excellence and to explore strategic fields such as oil and gas, energy, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Tvet) and artificial intelligence (AI), which are expected to drive Sabah’s future economic development.
