LABUAN, Jan 16 ― A total of 13,669 students of primary and secondary schools in the duty-free island here received the RM100 special schooling aid of 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) yesterday.

The aid amounting to RM1,366.900 was also given out to students in the assisted schools of SJKC Chi Wen and SJKC Chung Hwa.

Labuan Education director Mistirin Radin said the special aid was given out in two stages in all 26 schools, with morning session students receiving theirs in afternoon and in the morning for those in the afternoon session.

“We hope the government’s special aid will help ease the burden of parents in preparing their school going children to be equipped with necessary school materials,” she said.

“There may be students still wearing last year’s school uniform and shoes and with the aid, parents can buy new uniform, sports t-shirt or shoes for their school going children,” she said.

The aid, as part of the government’s back-to-school initiative, was channelled to 5.4 million primary and secondary students throughout the country since yesterday. ― Bernama