No fee hike for undergraduate at public universities - Idris Jusoh

Public universities are not allowed to increase fees for undergraduate students despite the reduced allocation for the Higher Education Ministry in the Budget 2016.

Higher Education minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the RM2.4 billion cut in allocation for the ministry should not be used as an excuse by the universities to raise the fees.

"Ninety percent of public universities are still relying on government funding. The universities should make money by utilising their assets," he told reporters after chairing the inaugural meeting of the International Education Task Force (IETF) here today.

Idris said the move would pave the way for public universities to be less dependent on the government as it was in line with the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2015-2025 (Higher Education).

In the Budget 2016 tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last Friday, RM13.378 billion was allocated to the ministry, which was five percent of the total budget, as compared with RM15.785 billion in last year's budget.

Meanwhile, Idris said the IETF was established to improve the management of international students who came to study in the country.

Idris said the IETF plays the role of adviser to the ministry in matters related to the international education and to increase and to recognise the higher education capability through international expertise and experience mobilisation.

"In today's meeting, we discussed and approved a number of issues such as to allow international students to apply for their own study passes and to introduce the e-Visa Approval Letter (VAL) and e-Visa With Reference (VDR)," he said.

He added that other measures discussed was to give exemption for the Entry Visa, the implementation of special arrival counters or lanes for international students via the International Student Arrival Centre (ISAC), the issuance of student passes for the entire duration of study and to give students the flexibility to work (part-time).

Among the members of IETF were the secretary-general of the Home Ministry, Foreign Affairs and Tourism and Culture Ministries, Immigration Department, the police, Malaysian Association of Private Colleges & Universities, National Association of Private Educational Institutions and representatives of public and private higher learning institutions.