1.3 – University anti-poverty programmes

1.3.4 – Bottom financial quintile student support

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is deeply committed to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1: No Poverty. Understanding that financial difficulties can hinder academic success, UKM has established several programs to assist low-income students. These initiatives are designed to ensure that all students, regardless of their financial background, have access to the essential resources needed to excel in both their studies and personal lives.

Program Jejak Anak Watan

UKM has implemented several programs specifically designed to provide financial aid to students who fall into the bottom 20% of the household income group, namely B40 group in Malaysia. These initiatives include the “Program Jejak Anak Watan”. In 2023, The Jejak Anak Watan Program welcomed 25 prospective UKM students selected in several states of the peninsula covering the Central Zone, North, South and East Coast. During this visit, the Vice-Chancellor also handed over financial aid and a ‘Bakul Rahmah’ to Nur Fatehah and her family at her home located in Kampung Rinching Hilir Bangi.

Nur Fatehah, the third child of five siblings, was the first child to receive an offer to continue her studies at university in the Bachelor of Arts with Honors (History) program at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSK). Hailing from Kampung Rinching Hilir Bangi, Selangor, she is a STPM graduate who chose UKM as his first choice because his late father was also a former UKM employee. Through the Jejak Anak Watan program, UKM showed its concern for the welfare of its students who successfully accepted offers of admission this year by handing over financial assistance of RM1,000 (USD 230.39) in cash and a Rahmah Basket worth RM200 (USD 46.07). The handover of aid from the UKM Zakat Fund and also the Student Affairs Center of UKM (HEP-UKM) Welfare Fund is delivered directly through visits to the homes of prospective students.

Facebook Link to Program Jejak Anak Watan (Press Release): https://www.facebook.com/share/p/f7iQAZygfDXZFo3k/
Facebook Link to Program Jejak Anak Watan (Press Video): https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ApNHWV9ebTybHNB8/

Program Pembangunan Siswa Sulung (SULUNG) 2.0
One of UKM’s flagship initiatives is the Malaysian Family Student Development Program (SULUNG) 2.0, which collaborates with the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and began in 2022, continuing into 2023. This project highlights UKM’s role in the government’s efforts to eradicate poverty. UKM has awarded nearly 800 scholarships to deserving students, ensuring that those from B40 backgrounds receive the financial support needed to complete their studies, reflecting UKM’s commitment to poverty eradication.