‘SCHOOL MILK SCHEME TO GO ON’

Programme will be fine-tuned to tackle weaknesses, says Education Ministry

THE milk programme in schools will be continued as it has already been allocated for in the 2019 Budget, said the Education Ministry.

The ministry, in a statement yesterday, said the programme, however, would be fine-tuned to ensure that it achieved its goals by tackling all weaknesses, including its acquisition process.

“The ministry admits there were leakages and weaknesses in the execution of the school milk programme under the previous administration.

“Thus, the ministry will undertake efforts to investigate and single out the weaknesses, as well as those responsible.

“Investigations will be carried out so that similar issues will not recur,” said the ministry.

The ministry gave its assurance that previous weaknesses would be resolved as soon as possible.

It said the implementation of the programme would be done in a more transparent manner in line with the new government’s policies that stressed on accountability and integrity.

Based on the ministry’s website, the school milk programme aims to meet several goals, including encouraging the milkdrinking habit among pupils under the paid milk scheme, as well as supplying milk to underprivileged and undernourished pupils via the free milk scheme.

On Tuesday, Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said that the government would review the implementation of the 1Malaysia Milk Programme before deciding on whether it would proceed with the programme next year.

The National Union of the Teaching Profession had queried the status of the programme, saying that milk had not been distributed to schools since January despite being allocated for in the 2018 Budget.

The programme was introduced in 1983.