IPOH: The Ministry of Education has allocated 19.09 million ringgit this year for maintaining government-aided Tamil national-type schools across Malaysia.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh confirmed this represents an increase from last year’s 18.15 million ringgit allocation for all applying SJKTs.
Perak state specifically received 4.43 million ringgit this year compared to 4.13 million ringgit in 2024.
“All allocations for SJKTs will be used by the schools to carry out necessary maintenance and improvements,” he stated during the allocation presentation ceremony at Kinta Utara District Education Office.
Wong distributed 810,000 ringgit to eight SJKTs in Kinta Utara district during the event attended by state committee chairman A. Sivanesan.
The deputy minister emphasized that increased funding demonstrates government commitment to improving school infrastructure for safer learning environments.
He separately addressed concerns about low-enrollment schools, confirming no plans to close Sekolah Kurang Murid institutions.
“We will maintain SKM in the same location if it is essential and provides the only access to education, despite having only three students a year,” Wong explained.
The ministry has implemented measures including merging year groups to maintain educational access in small schools.
Wong noted that 3,038 schools nationwide were categorised as SKM last April, with policies developed to streamline their operations.
Relocation would only be considered as a last resort requiring technical assessments and multi-party cooperation.
“This term takes into account the relocation from the original site to a new location,” he clarified.
These efforts demonstrate government seriousness in addressing educational access without compromising children’s rights to education. – Bernama