There were news circulating that JPA may be cut down to reduce Government spending, but a concerned citizen who was fortunate to have received a JPA scholarship years ago tells us a heartwarming tale, and how his scholarship changed his life.
Facebook user Nimelesh shares his experience with fellow Malaysians, where at the mere age of 11, he lost his dad.
“It was never easy. I didn’t have the privileges like my other peers. Clothes? I was thankful to even get a pair of new clothes each year.”
He describes himself as the quite type in school and rarely mixed with anyone. Instead, he would spend all his time on studying.
It was a real struggle. His mom was working odd jobs just to make ends meet and the family barely had any money to survive. There was once Nimelesh wanted to take a break and go for a movie, but the family could not afford it.
“I’ll never forget the time i asked my mom i wanted to go for a movie, my mom just sat on the ground and started to cry. Even writing this, brings tears to my eyes..All the Hardships…”
“I was thankful to have my mom, all my close relatives and my teachers to guide me. My mom quit her job and started home tuitions just to guide me with my studies after school.
He recounts all his kind school teachers that would fetch him to tuition from his house since he didn’t have any transport. The sacrifices that they have made for him since day 1 will never be forgotten.
And when he finally received his SPM cert..
“I still remember the time i got my SPM certificate. My Mom was devastated. She didn’t even say any congratulations. Because we can’t afford a B.
After all truthfully, we are a minority. What are the odds of getting into a IPTA? And we definitely don’t have any money to go into private university.”
Despite his low hopes, he was surprised to have successfully been awarded with a JPA scholarship, where he could fulfill his dreams of being a doctor and treating people.
He wrote, “Without going overseas, i wouldn’t have been a DIFFERENT PERSON. The Outgoing, “Social Butterfly” i am now. Who knows, i might not even have a degree now if i wasn’t sponsored.”
Nimelesh expresses his concerns that there are ministers who are fighting to cut JPA scholarships, and he was one of the students who they said “the government is spending unnecessary money on”.
“Please don’t cut scholarships. There are better way to save money. Don’t trim the hopes and dreams of our future generation.”
