KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — An additional allocation of RM25 million was made to public, private and state-run religious schools based on the needs, priorities and the potential for developing the schools.
Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the move would help the ministry to optimise the use of limited funds allocated for the purpose of maintaining and managing the schools involved.
“If the allocation is distributed to schools that are registered with the ministry and state religious authorities based on existing student enrollment without regard to the actual needs of the school applying, it is feared that the amount received will be insignificant and meaningless for the particular school.
“There can be bigger schools with more students, if we use the formula per head they will get more allocation even though their needs are not like that of smaller schools but their needs are more,” he said during the ministerial question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said this in response to a supplementary question by Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (PAS-Sik) who suggested the government use a mechanism for distributing aid on a per capita basis which is considered fairer.
The Ministry of Finance on Feb 14 approved an additional special allocation of RM25 million for the maintenance and management of public, private and state-run religious schools registered with the ministry and state religious authorities and implementing the national curriculum only.
Responding to Ahmad Tarmizi’s original question about the amount allocated, Maszlee said applications for 78 schools registered with the ministry were approved involving the provision of RM6.294 million.
He also said that 254 applications from schools registered with the state religious authorities have been approved with an allocation of RM14.195 million.
“Currently, the ministry is verifying applications for the final phase to channel the remaining allocation to eligible schools under the stipulated conditions,” he added. — Bernama
