KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21  — No applications for an increase in fees from private higher education institutions (IPTS) were approved since June 1 to December this year, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Noraini Ahmad.

She said this was to ensure the welfare of the students was guaranteed and there is continuity in terms of access to higher education, as well as sustaining IPTS competitiveness.

"IPTS is regulated under the Private Higher Education Institutions Act 1996 (Act 555) and is managed by a company incorporated under the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM). It has a Board Director of the Company itself (Act 777).

"In line with this, determining the fee rate is under the responsibility of the company’s board of directors based on the rates approved by the ministry,” she said when responding to a question from Senator Datuk Seri S.Vell Paari at the Dewan Negara today.

Vell Paari had asked on the number of public and private universities that had either reduced or cancelled part of their tuition fees following the Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO).

She said tuition fees for all public universities for the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year have been reduced by up to 15 per cent.

"The reduction was made after taking into consideration the financial capabilities of the government and public universities.

"A total of  523,318 students of public universities nationwide will benefit from this, while the same approach will also be continued for all public universities for the first semester of the 2020/2021 academic session,” she added. — Bernama