KUALA LUMPUR OCT.29: The 2022 Budget with the theme “Prosperous Malaysian Family” allocates the highest provision of RM RM332.1 billion compared to previous years and as usual the Ministry of Education receives the highest with RM52.6 billion or 16 per cent from the whole Federal Government expenditures.
Minister of Finance, Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said, the Ministry of Higher Education is however allocated with RM14.5 billion.
Tengku Zafrul said, for the reopening of the schools, the government has allocated Early Schooling Assistance with RM150 compared to RM100 before and for this RM450 million has been allocated and will benefit three million qualified pupils nationwide.
“For next year RM1 billion is allocated for maintenance works and school repairs. This allocation includes RM140 million for JAKIM among others to repair “tahfiz” schools, people’s religious schools and registered “pondok” institution that have been increased compared to RM100 million in 2021.
“The maintenance allocation for more than 10,000 schools under the Ministry of Education will be distributed in a standard rate. For 2022, RM120 million is allocated to benefit 1,800 national type of Chinese and Tamil schools,” Tengku Zafrul said when tabling the Budget 2022 at the Dewan Rakyat here today.
Regarding students from the institute of higher learning who come from the B40 group, Tengku Zafrul said, the government with the cooperation of selected telecommunication companies will implement the Malaysian Family Students’ Device that will supply a tablet computer to every student from the B40 group.
“For such assistance, the government allocates RM450 million while the telecommunication companies with RM65 million. About 600,000 students of the institute of higher learning will benefit from it.
“To ensure the school pupils from the low income group consume nutritional food every day in order to have good mental and physical growth, the government will continue to supply daily milk under the Additional Food Programme with the allocation of RM400 million,” Tengku Zafrul said.
According to Tengku Zafrul the government is also giving payment discounts to the borrowers of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) for the period from 1st November 2021 until 30th April 2022.
The discounts include 15 per cent discount on the payment for the balance of the full loan; 12 per cent discount for at least 50 per cent from the balance of the loan with one payment and 10 per cent discount for payment through salary cut or direct debit following the schedule.
Meanwhile, for the Orang Asli group, Tengku Zafrul said, RM274 million has been allocated among others to implement “Elevating the Standard of Living for Orang Asli Programme” such as giving subsidy, schooling and welfare assistance that will benefit 200,000 people. For next year the government will give a daily RM4 pocket money to the Orang Asli secondary school pupils. –Malaysia World News
