Minister of Higher Education Dr. Ibrahim Hassan has revealed the current administration has spent over USD 97 million on human resource development in the country.
Speaking to PSM News, Higher Education Minister Hassan said the current administration has spent more on building human resources across multiple sectors than any other past administration. As such, he noted the administration has spent over USD 97 million on human resource development in the past three years, including USD 23 million on the free degree scheme, USD 24 million on scholarships and USD 15 million on student loans.
Since 2018, the government has announced 158 scholarship schemes, with students currently undertaking 432 different scholarships. Under these schemes, local students are undertaking higher studies in 20 different countries abroad.
Furthermore, one of the most important initiatives of the current administration was the introduction of the free degree scheme under which thousands of students are undertaking bachelor’s degree programmes free of charge. During the 2022 Presidential Address, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih revealed 2,127 students have now completed their undergraduate studies through the free degree programme and that another 5,000 students will be completing their studies by the end of 2023.