KUCHING - A total of 64,324 applications have been submitted for enrolment with institutions of higher learning for the 2002-3 academic session, Education Minister Tan Sri Musa Mohamad cold the Senate at its current sitting.

Of the total, 46,878 were Bumiputeras, 13,485 Chinese and 3,961 from the Indian community, he said.

Musa added that students who ,succeeded in enrolling comprised 22,557 Bumiputeras, 8.664 Chinese and 1,530 from the Indian community.

The Minister was replying to Senator Wee Kok Tiong who wanted to know the number of local students from the various communities who had applied to enrol in the country's institutions of higher learning for the period in question.

Wee also asked for the number of local students who had succeeded or failed in being offered places in such institutions.

Musa said as students submitted their applications directly to the institutions concerned, the ministry could not confirm the exact number according to racial background.