Special education fund to aid Sabahan kids

KOTA KINABALU: A special state education fund will be launched next month, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (pic).

He said the fund was aimed at helping more Sabahan children to have the opportunity to further their studies at an institution of higher learning either in the country or overseas.

The fund is one of the initiatives under Yayasan Sabah Group’s strategic plan for 2015-2023, which is part of the state government’s development roadmap under Sabah Maju Jaya targeting human capital.

Speaking at the state-level Teachers Day celebration here yesterday, Hajiji said the creation of the fund was approved by the Sabah legislative assembly on Dec 9 last year through the Government Trust Fund (amendment) Enactment 2021 that came into force in January.

He said these were among the education initiatives implemented by the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional (GRS-BN) government after they took over the state government in September 2020.

“This includes donating 10,000 laptops to Forms Five and Six students in Sabah,” he said.

Under Sabah Budget 2022, the state also provides assistance to obtain uniforms, shoes and stationery involving 289,204 students through a RM13.9mil allocation.

“The state government is also committed to continuing with two more forms of special education assistance introduced in 2021, to provide cash assistance for students registering at institutes of higher learning under the Budi scheme and the Special Examination Cash Assistance (Bakti scheme),” he said.

Hajiji said RM17.5mil was allocated for the purpose, with some 5,000 students having received Budi aid and up to 40,000 students enjoying Bakti assistance last year.

In addition, he said, the state government had introduced funding for more than 1,500 parent-teacher associations in the state under the Bagus initiative and also assistance for computer equipment in schools under the Bisbah programme.

The Chief Minister said vernacular, missionary and private schools in Sabah were also allocated RM47mil for special assistance.

“It reflects the sincerity of the government in ensuring the welfare of all races and religions in Sabah,” he added.