KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 3,000 students from 29 primary and secondary schools received contributions under the Back To School programme here.
Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said the programme would ease the financial burden faced by parents in preparing for their children’s return for the new school session next month.
“I am thankful to Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) and Yayasan Bank Rakyat (YBR) for making these contributions in conjunction with the children’s return to school.
“To me, education is a bulwark to prevent people from being trapped in poverty,” he said at the event to deliver the school aid to the students from Bandar Tun Razak area at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall Training Institute here yesterday.
He said the programme would also be held in other areas, especially those with a high rate of poverty, Bernama reported.
Bandar Tun Razak MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the contributions could help ensure the welfare of students, especially in the aspects of education and health.
She said the programme is seen as a value-add to the Early Schooling Aid (BAP) implemented by the government recently.
“Before this, the government had given a RM150 aid to every student through the BAP programme.
“Now, we are giving a RM100 voucher to parents to help them buy school necessities for their children,” she said.
Also present were the Prime Minister’s political secretary Datuk Azman Abidin and YBR deputy chairman Datuk Nurul Amal Mohd Fauzi.
Azman said the number of recipients for the Back To School aid increased to 3,000 this year from 2,000 last year, thanks to the contributions and commitment of strategic partners like AIM and YBR.
He said each student received a RM100 voucher while those under AIM got a RM150 voucher to buy school equipment at Pusat Pakaian Hari-Hari.
Earlier, Wan Azizah officiated at the presentation of mock cheques of RM75,000 from AIM and RM100,000 from YBR.
