Early School Assistance for over three mln students – Maszlee

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Education (KPM) is providing Early School Assistance to more than three million schoolchildren from Year One up to Form 5, from yesterday.

Its Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the minsitry allocated RM312 million for such assistance involving 3,121,774 primary and secondary school students in 10,175 government schools (SK) and governmentaided schools (SBK).

“Each student will receive RM100. The distribution to all students will be made in January and any deductions and distribution other than cash is not allowed,” he said in a statement.

Maszlee added that students who were eligible to receive the aid were from among households that earned RM3,000 and below.

“KPM gives the school the responsibility of distributing the aid immediately to ease the burden of parents in providing for schooling needs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Maszlee said RM16 million was allocated for Sekolah Agama Rakyat (people's religious schools) and the Sekolah Agama Negeri (state religious schools) managed by the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim), as well as private schools registered with the the ministry's Private Education Division (BPS).

“KPM will distribute the funds directly to the accounts of the schools after obtaining the validity of the number of eligible students from the Jakim and BPS.”