No reports on early schooling aid deduction by schools, says Deputy Education Minister

IPOH: No complaints or reports have been received regarding the deduction of Early Schooling Aid (BAP) by schools since it was distributed nationwide, starting Jan 10, said Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh (pic).

He said that although there was a deduction by schools on the BAP rate last year, there was no such report received this year.

"Previously, the Education Ministry (MOE) has received complaints that there has been a deduction of BAP for payment of (school) fees and so on.

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"However, for this year, no complaints have been received, and we have given a clear message to all schools that the assistance, amounting to RM150 per student, must reach the parents or students because it aims to ease the burden of making school preparations,” he said.

He said this at a press conference, after officiating the 2024 Perak Early Schooling Aid presentation ceremony, at the SMK Yuk Choy here, Thursday (Feb 1).

Earlier, Wong presented BAP, amounting to RM48.8mil, to Perak Education director Datuk Muhamad Fauzi Mahson, to be distributed to 325,162 students, in 1,104 schools, statewide.

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Wong also hoped that everything would go smoothly until the final date of the BAP distribution process, which is Feb 10.

On Oct 16 last year, the MOE, in a statement, announced that RM788mil was allocated through BAP, which benefited 5.25 million students nationwide.

The assistance, given in one payment, is channelled through schools to be distributed to each student's parents, in cash or credited to their respective accounts. - Bernama