GEORGE TOWN: Quran and Fardhu Ain (KAFA) class teachers in Penang will receive a monthly allowance increase of RM200 from July, bringing their total monthly allowance to RM1,500.
Deputy Chief Minister I, Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid, said KAFA headteachers will receive a higher allowance of RM1,600 compared to RM1,350 previously, marking a RM250 increment.
"During last year's state legislative assembly sitting, I announced that a comprehensive review was being carried out to strengthen KAFA education in Penang. This demonstrates the concern shown by the Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) and the state government for the welfare of KAFA educators.
"To appreciate KAFA teachers in Penang, I am pleased to share two announcements: the increase in allowance, and a special maternity assistance for female KAFA teachers appointed on or after January 1 this year, who are eligible for RM1,100 per month for two months during their maternity leave," he said in a Facebook post Saturday (May 17).
In addition, RM150,000 has been allocated to enhance training programmes for KAFA teachers in the state.
Mohamad, who is also MAINPP president, said these new measures will result in an additional financial commitment of RM4.2mil annually, raising the total KAFA allocation to RM8.5mil per year.
He also announced that all KAFA premises in Penang will return to a standardised five-day operational schedule starting July 1, a practice that had been halted for several years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the education sector, he said MAINPP is increasing its education budget to RM35mil for 2024 and 2025, including introducing new scholarship allocations for Polytechnic and Form Six students.
"Last month, MAINPP also allocated RM6.5mil to distribute 8,740 tablet devices to 263 primary and secondary schools. This supports the goal of digitalising education and aims to bridge the digital divide among students by 2030," he added. — Bernama
