Kota Kinabalu, 10 September 2024 – Jesselton University College (JUC) is deeply committed to advancing inclusive education and ensuring no student is left behind due to gender or socioeconomic barriers. In alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 (No Poverty), 4 (Quality Education), and 5 (Gender Equality), JUC implements long term institutional support schemes to enable student success, particularly among women and those from low income or bottom 20 percent household backgrounds.
Since 2022, JUC has provided comprehensive free support to help underserved students complete their studies. These include:
- Scholarships: Partial to full tuition scholarships awarded to qualified students from B40 (bottom 40 percent) and bottom 20 percent income households, with special attention to ensure equal access for women applicants.
- Mentoring and Counseling: Women students benefit from free access to dedicated mentoring programs, academic and career guidance, counseling services, and English language improvement classes designed to empower them personally and professionally.
- Free Transportation: Daily shuttle bus services from hostels to campus are offered at no cost, helping low income students, particularly women from rural areas, attend classes safely and reliably.
- Free Accommodation: Up to 24 months of free hostel housing is provided to students from underprivileged families, significantly reducing their living expenses and increasing retention.
Additional Services: Students are supported with health initiatives including free dental checkups, and continuous monitoring of academic performance and wellbeing through dedicated student affairs units.
These support systems are non discriminatory, openly accessible to all qualified students, and publicly documented, ensuring full transparency and accountability. All services are designed to foster equitable access and enable high completion rates across gender and income categories, with a target graduation rate of 85 percent and above.
