KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 1.2 million National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers have yet to settle their loans, resulting in outstanding debts of RM10.8 billion as of Dec 31, 2023.

Auditor-General Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radhi, in her latest report, said outstanding education loan repayments had also increased from RM7.316 billion in 2019.

She said the duration of arrears ranges from less than one year to over 12 years.

"The audit analysis found that the highest outstanding education loan repayments were for arrears between four and six years, amounting to RM3.374 billion and involving 302,613 borrowers," read the report.

This was followed by arrears between ten and 12 years, which amounted to RM2.55 billion and involved 98,477 borrowers.

Arrears between seven and nine years totalled RM2.31 billion and involved 127,877 borrowers, while arrears between one and three years amounted to RM1.57 billion and involved 358,174 borrowers.