Cover image via New York TimesIn a sudden turn of events, the Public Service Department (JPA) has informed that they will be converting all JPA scholarships into loans starting this year, 2016
This decision was informed through an announcement on their official site, Pembangunan Modal Insan (eSILA). **According to JPA, all scholarships will be given in the form of loans, but they can be converted based on three different loan agreement mechanisms, namely;**
1) The loan can be converted into a scholarship and graduates will be exempted from paying back if they agree to work in the civil service upon graduation.
2) Graduates will have to pay back 50% of the loan if they decide to work with any government linked companies (GLC).
3) If the graduates do not wish to work in the civil service or any GLCs, they would have to pay back the full amount of the loan.
JPA's official announcement on the changes to JPA scholarship terms
Image via Pembangunan Modal Insan (eSILA)
Commenting on the government's sudden move to convert the scholarships to loans, Welfare, Family and Women Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, said that it could be due to the country's weak economic state
DAP Seremban MP Anthony Loke on the other hand, is under the opinion that the conversion is "an unfair change of policy" that should have been discussed thoroughly before being implemented
This move comes after PM Najib Razak, informed last month that JPA bursaries will only be granted to students that wish to pursue their tertiary education in local institutions, either private or public.
However, top 20 SPM scores in the country will be given the privilege to study anywhere they choose to in the world.
