RM800 MILLION EARLY SCHOOLING AID BENEFITS 5.2 MILLION STUDENTS NATIONWIDE

By Jailani Hasan

LABUAN, Jan 16 (Bernama) --  The Ministry of Education (MOE) has approved RM800 million in Early Schooling Aid (BAP) to benefit 5.2 million school-going children nationwide, said its secretary-general, Datuk Dr Aminuddin Hassim.

He said the RM150 per student assistance aims to help ease the financial burden on parents in preparing essential schooling needs such as uniforms, shoes and stationery, particularly at the start of the academic year.

Dr Aminuddin said the disbursement of the BAP began this week, with funds handed directly to students to ensure the aid has a meaningful and immediate impact.

“We use the method of direct cash distribution to students instead of crediting bank accounts because we want the children themselves to feel the assistance and understand that the government is supporting their education,” he told reporters after presenting the BAP to primary and secondary school students here today.

In Labuan, a total of 19,001 students received the BAP, involving an allocation of RM2.7 million for pupils from government and government-aided schools across the island, he said.

Dr Aminuddin said that the BAP is part of a broader package of support measures provided by the ministry, which currently administers 18 different assistance schemes for school-going children, including aid related to sports, co-curricular activities and student welfare.

“These initiatives reflect the government’s seriousness and commitment to ensuring that no child is left behind due to financial constraints, and that students from all backgrounds can focus on their studies,” he said.

He added that early financial assistance plays an important role in promoting school attendance and readiness, especially among families with multiple school-going children, as the new school term begins.

-- BERNAMA