Independent project will allow students to get part-time jobs - Idris

The Higher Education Ministry (KPT) Monday launched the 'Projek Berdikari' or Independent Project, which is an on-line project that will make it easy for 1.2 million students in the country to get part-time jobs.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, said the project under the Malaysian Youth Community! (MYC!) would list out in its website MYC.com.my/projekberdikari the names of companies or employment agencies which offer part-time jobs with flexible working hours.

He said it was hoped that the project would help the students to tackle the rising cost of living and would train them to be more disciplined and independent in line with the objectives of the Malaysian Education Blueprint (PPPM) 2015-2025 (Higher Education) to produce holistic graduates.

"Besides earning a side income, the students will also gain work experience through this programme," he told reporters after launching the project at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), here Monday.

Earlier, Idris also attended a dialogue session with student leaders of tertiary institutions and presented the 1Malaysia Book Vouchers (BB1M) to student leader representatives.

He said RM300 million had been allocated for the vouchers to be given to 1.2 million students.

The minister said BB1M vouchers worth RM250 each would be distributed in stages from the second week of March and would remain valid until June 31, 2016.

On the dialogue with the students, he said the main issues raised were those concerning the marketability of the students, relevance of the courses offered by universities and the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans.

"I explained to them that all these issues had been resolved through the Malaysian Education Blueprint (PPPM) 2015-2025 (Higher Education)," he said.

Asked about the Health Ministry's decision to extend the freeze on new medical courses for five more years, Idris said his ministry would discuss the matter with the Health Ministry soon.

"If it needs to be continued, we will go on with it. They must have made the decision after carrying out a survey," Idris said.

Health Deputy-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah Sunday said the Health Ministry may extend the freeze which was first implemented in 2011 to solve the problem of an over-supply of medical housemen in this country.