Cut in education expenditure leaves Chinese primary schools in limbo

PETALING JAYA: The massive cut in the government's budget for education this year saw a corresponding reduction in Education Ministry's allocations to schools, forcing many, particularly Chinese primary schools, to tighten their belts.
According to a report in Sin Chew Daily today, the allocation for school administration costs was reduced to just 64% of last year's.
The Rancangan Makanan Tambahan (Supplementary Food Programme) or RMT, which provides a healthy meal a day to pupils from poor families, will be reduced to 170 days from 190 last year.
Schools have yet to receive this year's allocation for extra-curricular activities and Chinese primary schools in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor do not know if they would continue to be allocated RM5,000 each for electricity and water bills this year.
According to the report, the ministry stipulates that all schools submit a report on their projected number of students the following year in order to receive an appropriate amount of allocation for extra-curricular activities.
Based on past experience, this allocation should have been allocated before the end of February.
"In the past, schools received 100% allocation for administration costs (sought). This is the first time that approval was given to grant 80% of the amount sought.
"We thought 80% was bad enough, what was worse was that we only received 80% of the approved amount (80%) so far," said a school source, which was not identified in the report.
"In other words, if a school applied for RM1,000, the approved amount is RM800 but only RM640 is received so far."
The Malaysian Federation of the Council of Headmasters said that with the cut in administration cost allocation, schools would not have money to hire replacement teachers when some teachers go on maternity leave.
"The school affected will be forced to roster existing teachers to cover for those who go on maternity leave," it said.