The RM200 one-off payment for full-time students at higher institutions of learning (IPTs) announced under the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package on March 27 will be extended to include Form Six, Diploma and equivalent students.

The Finance Ministry in a statement today said the aid will be extended to include students studying at institutions under the Human Resources Ministry, Youth and Sports Ministry as well as MARA.

Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz said with the extension, the allocation will be increased to RM300 million from the RM270 million announced earlier, and will benefit around 1.5 million students.

Tengku Zafrul said the ministries involved will bring forward the payment to eligible students from the end of May to the end of April 2020.

On March 27, the government announced a one-off RM200 payment for all full-time matriculation, community college, polytechnic as well as public and private Institution of higher learning (IPTA and IPTS) students.

The minister expressed hope the aid will be able to ease the burden faced by the students during the MCO period.

-- BERNAMA