By Lisa J. Ariffin
KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — The federal government has allocated RM2.8 billion to 4,374 schools all over the country, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced today.
This “financial assistance” is said to benefit 5.4 million students enrolled in national and government-aided schools and will be given out to schools by instalments from next month.
“It is the government’s commitment to the people to implement the agenda to strengthen national schools as first-class institutions through appropriate funding,” the deputy prime minister said.
“This agenda to strengthen does not mean vernacular schools such as SJKC, SJKT, religious schools and SABK will be neglected,” he added.
Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, said his ministry has never neglected vernacular schools as “all schools play a role in the agenda of strengthening human development”.
“In 2011, the Education Ministry allocated RM126.16 million to schools of all education streams,” he said.
“This effort is continued this year with RM400 million to national schools,” he added.
Muhiyiddin said other than financial aid, government-aided schools will also receive help in the form of teachers, school staff, textbooks as well as capital grants.