The government has given the Education Ministry an RM2.3bil allocation to ensure that all schools have the best infrastructure and learning facilities for students. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star filepic
THE Education Ministry (MOE) received the highest allocation of RM55.2bil in Belanjawan 2023 – RM2.6bil more than the previous year.
Various measures were introduced to make Malaysian education competitive, with emphasis on “restoring” and “developing” national education.
The bulk of the MOE budget will be spent on improving infrastructure to improve the learning atmosphere in schools across the country.
Schools
> Conducive and safe learning space: RM2.3bil will be spent on the best infrastructure and learning facilities for students.
This includes RM920mil for upgrading of buildings and infrastructure in 380 dilapidated schools, including in Sabah and Sarawak.
> Maintenance works: RM900mil for all types of national schools, religious schools, and vernacular schools.
> Disabled-friendly features: Schools with special needs students will have disabled–friendly facilities.
> Open halls: To provide a suitable place for children to gather in school.
> Seven new schools: To be built at a cost of RM560mil.
> 50,000 laptops: Teaching and learning equipment for teachers to keep up with digital technology. MOE schools and educational institutions will be supplied with 50,000 laptops.
> Student meals: To cover the cost of providing food to students, the rate for cooked meals under the Supplementary Food Plan (Rancangan Makanan Tambahan) has been increased to benefit 700,000 students costing RM777mil from RM625mil. Food providers will be monitored for food quality and nutrition.
Preschool
> Preschool food programme: The allocation for the Education Ministry’s preschool food programme has increased from RM89mil to RM108mil to benefit more than 240,000 MOE preschool students.
Meanwhile, tax relief of up to RM3,000 for sending children to childcare centres (taska) or kindergartens (tadika) will be extended until assessment year 2024.
Higher education sector
For 2023, the Ministry of Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) was allocated RM15.3bil – compared to RM14.5bil last year for, among others:
> Repairs and replacements: RM436mil to repair infrastructure and replace outdated equipment at public institutions of higher learning.
> Public university facilities: RM300mil for upgrading and maintaining public university facilities.
> Internet connectivity: RM35mil to improve internet connectivity in higher education institutions under the Malaysian Research and Education Network (MYREN).
> Research and development: RM428mil for R&D activities under MOHE and Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI).
There is an additional allocation of RM50mil for the MOHE to promote translational R&D for solving community and industry issues.
MOSTI is provided with RM15mil in R&D grants specifically for the production of national vaccines.
Apart from the RM15.3bil allocation to the MOHE, the Government also has other programmes through various ministries. Among the initiatives are:
> Bumiputera children: RM6.6bil for educational facilities for bumiputera children through Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), Yayasan Peneraju and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). Also, for education loans and opportunities to pursue professional fields.
> TVET: RM6.7bil was allocated under seven key ministries to empower technical and vocational education and training (TVET) initiatives and RM180mil was allocated to the Skills Development Fund Corporation (PTPK).
PTPTN discounts
Up to 20% discount on National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan payments starting from March 1 to May 31 this year.
To ease the financial burden of affected borrowers, the Government agreed to defer repayment for six months – for borrowers with a monthly income of RM1,800 and below. Applications for this deferment have been open since March 1.
There will be a standardisation of stamp duty rates for education loan agreements.
The RM10 stamp duty now covers educational loan or scholarship agreements at educational and training institutions starting June 1.
To know more about Budget 2023 initiatives, go to belanjawan.mof.gov.my/manfaat.
