PUTRAJAYA: A total of 286 Orang Asli youths have successfully enrolled into public higher learning institutions this year.
Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the figure exceeded the ministry’s target of 239 Orang Asli students for this year.
He said the figure was an achievement in developing the native community through education. The 286 Orang Asli youths comprised students pursuing various courses from bachelor’s degrees to doctorate programmes.
“We are seeing an increase in the number (of Orang Asli student enrolment in institutions) from year to year, which is encouraging,” he said after chairing the National Consultative Council on Orang Asli
Community Development meeting here yesterday.
Present was Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) director-general Datuk Mohd Sani Mistam.
Shafie said some 24 Orang Asli students were studying abroad in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.