ALOR STAR: The Kedah Tithe Board (LZNK) has allocated RM3.6 million to support more than 600 students from the state, who are pursuing higher education in Egypt, Jordan and Morocco this year.
LZNK chief executive officer Datuk Zakaria Othman said the latest distribution saw RM264,000 provided to 88 students, who had recently been offered placements to further their studies in the Middle East.
"Through this allocation, each student received an initial aid of RM3,000 to cover flight tickets and essential preparations before departing for their respective institutions.
"All 88 students from Kedah will be flying to Cairo, Egypt, and Amman, Jordan, from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) today.
"We remain committed to supporting Kedah youths in their higher education journey, aiming to nurture future scholars and intellectuals in the long term," he said in a statement today.
Zakaria said the tithe distribution was not merely financial aid, but also a motivational boost to ensure that the students maintained top academic performance throughout their studies.
He said since 2018, LZNK had introduced a tithe distribution scheme based on a merit system, rewarding students for their academic achievements.
"The students will receive tithe assistance according to their exam results, categorised as Mumtaz, Jayyid Jiddan, Jayyid and Maqbul, which encourages them to strive for excellence.
"For instance, students in Egypt and Morocco achieving Mumtaz will receive RM12,000, while those with Jayyid Jiddan results will get RM10,000, Jayyid RM8,000, and Maqbul RM5,000.
"For students in Jordan, the new rates provide RM17,000 for Mumtaz, RM14,000 for Jayyid Jiddan, RM11,000 for Jayyid, and RM8,000 for Maqbul," he said.
He also expressed confidence the scheme would help develop a new generation of scholars who could contribute their knowledge once they complete their studies.