Kuala Lumpur: The Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration allocated RM50 billion or close to a fourth of its RM322.5 billion federal Budget for education, among the highest in recent years.
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the large allocation underscores the ruling alliance’s commitment to alleviate living standards, calling education the most “important investment” to achieve it.
A large chunk of it will go into improving, maintaining and repairing public schools. Tengku Zafrul said RM800 million has been allocated for it, but said RM750 million in additional funding will be made available for schools in Sabah and Sarawak.
The Higher Education Ministry will receive RM14.4 billion, with RM50 million reserved for maintenance work on public universities.
Education has been volatile amid the Covid-19 pandemic, as schools and universities are forced to go in and out of lockdowns, causing disruption that may have ramifications on student development.
The PN government said it will spend more to shift learning online, allocating RM450 million under Budget 2021 for the National Connectivity Plan to keep over 450 schools connected when students are forced to stay at home.
Tengku Zafrul said the allocations mostly target children from poor households, who feel the pandemic’s effect disproportionately more.
A recent study on Covid-19’s impact among Klang Valley’s urban poor found a huge number of children risking exclusion after teachers began teaching online, as most cannot afford computers.
Putrajaya has also carved out RM420 million to provide milk twice a week under the Supplementary Food Programme, meant to help poorer households get adequate nutrition.
Tengku Zafrul said a quota will be reserved for local milk producers.
The announcement is likely the first indirect admission by a government official on malnourishment plaguing poor households.
