PETALING JAYA: The overall number of student admissions in public universities increased by 2.4% to 181,901 last year, says Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.

       Noraini said 177,710 students were admitted to public universities in 2020.

       She noted that the number of student admissions for postgraduate studies at PhD level from 2018 to 2022 also showed a yearly increase.

       “In 2018, there were 6,885 students who continued their education to PhD level. In 2019, there was an increase of 6.3%.

       "In 2020, there was an increase of 7.5% over 2019, and in 2021 it went up 44% from 2020,” she said when replying to Datuk Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli (PH-Lumut) in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (March 24).

       Mohd Hatta had asked the ministry to state the total admission of postgraduate students in public universities from 2018 to 2022.

       Noraini added that student admissions to public universities for postgraduate students at master’s level in 2018 was at 20,081 students, while in 2019 there were 20,108 students.

       “In 2020, there was a dip of 9.7% compared to 2019, to 18,162 students.

       “Nevertheless, in 2021, there was an increase of 16.9% (21,235 students) over 2020.

       “Overall, the enrolment of students from both postgraduate levels showed an increase last year compared to 2020," she said.