Dutiful: Lea Wati picking up her son Xavier Dennis Jackson from school in George Town, Penang. — K.T.GOH/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Even with the one-off schooling cash aid of RM150, most parents still need to fork out extra money to buy supplies for the new school term.
Single mother Saimah Mat Desa, who earns RM2,500 as a cleaner, said she could only afford a school bag and a pair of shoes with the financial aid.
“I need to top up at least another RM200 for uniforms, books, stationery and other add-ons for my son.
“Any form of aid is always welcomed, but it does not help much.
“My son is in secondary school, and he is growing fast. This means new uniforms and shoes every year, and these items have become pricier.
“It would help B40 families if the amount was increased to RM300,” said the 54-year-old when met outside St Xavier’s Institution (SXI) here in George Town.
Factory worker Lea Wati Yatimin, 43, said the RM150 amount was not enough to cover the expenses of her two school-going children.
“It’s difficult to cope, as there are months when our household income does not reach RM3,000,” she said.
“Buying school uniforms for two of them can come to around RM500 this year.
“In order to budget, we wait it out and buy one set at a time,” she added.
Lea Wati said she has to work overtime to make extra money as her husband is a driver and does not make much at times.
“We try to cut costs, but I do not want to stinge on my children, especially their education.
“If they need books, I’ll make sure they are new, and that can be costly.
“It would help if the aid amount is increased, as January is usually when we parents, have the most expenses,” she said.
In Kuching, Stephanie Paul Riseng, 41, said the cash aid will certainly come in handy and help ease expenses for families with school-going children at the start of the school year.
“The money can be used to cover expenses for stationery, a pair of shoes or a uniform.
“It won’t be used for the school fee, which is usually paid in advance,” the mother of two primary school children said when contacted yesterday.
She added that providing direct cash aid to parents was a better move than vouchers meant to be exchanged for various school items.
“It is immaterial whether the cash is used fully for the school-going children because it is still a relief for the family,” she said.
Under Budget 2024, it was reported that the one-off Bantuan Awal Persekolahan (BAP) schooling assistance cash aid of RM150 will be disbursed in early January next year.
The Education Ministry said a total of RM788.13mil has been allocated under the scheme, which will benefit more than 5.25 million students.
