SABAH HAS ALLOCATED OVER RM75 MILLION FOR EDUCATION AID INITIATIVES - HAJIJI

KOTA KINABALU, March 13 (Bernama) -- Sabah has allocated RM75.5 million this year to implement 13 education aid initiatives for students, schools, parent-teacher associations, as well as Sabah student associations both locally and abroad, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

He said the initiatives, which were being continued this year, included the one-off Higher Education Institution Registration Cash Assistance (BUDI), Ihsan Computer Assistance (BAIK), Special Examination Cash Assistance (BAKTI), and the State Education Savings Assistance (BISTARI).

Other initiatives include Parent-Teacher Association Activity Assistance (BAGUS), Sabah School Assistance (BISBAH), Minor School Maintenance Assistance (BALKIS), Special Education Programme Assistance (BANTU), Sabah Education Excellence Award (AKSA), Secretariat for Sabah Students in Malaysia (SEMESTA), and the Sabah Student Flight Ticket Assistance (GRS-SUBFLY).

"For the BUDI initiative alone, the state government has allocated RM20 million, targeting 10,000 students, while RM8 million has been set aside for BAKTI, with a target to benefit some 40,000 students this year," he said when launching the State Higher Education Student Contribution (SENTOSA) at the Gaya Campus Institute of Teacher Education here today.

Hajiji said the government has also introduced a new initiative, the one-off School Activity Contribution (SUKSES), for all schools in Sabah.

He said each school would receive RM3,000 in aid to conduct activities or purchase necessary items.

Additionally, the state government has increased the Sabah State Government Scholarship (BKNS) fund from RM51 million to RM128 million this year.

Hajiji also announced the GRS-SUBFLY subsidy assistance for all public and private higher education students studying in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Labuan, with an RM600 contribution per student, amounting to over RM10 million in total expenditure.

"Through SENTOSA, students studying in Sabah’s higher education institutions will receive a one-off RM300 cash assistance, involving an allocation of RM6 million and benefiting around 20,000 students," he added.

-- BERNAMA