Education Ministry forms special committee to implement initiatives outlined in Budget 2019

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Education (MOE) has set up an implementation committee to look into the details of the initiatives outlined in Budget 2019, according to Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik.
In a statement today, he said the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Dr Mohd Gazali Abas would head the committee.
"The committee will provide me with reports on the implementation and progress of action from time to time," he said.
Maszlee added that in a meeting after the tabling of the budget yesterday, he had instructed the ministry's top brass to take strategic measures in effectively implementing all the initiatives.
He explained that the allocation of RM60.2 billion or 19.1% to MOE from the overall budget allocation of the central government made the KPM the largest recipient.
He said the large allocation for education showed the federal government's commitment to continue providing quality, comprehensive education for the people, taking into account current challenges and future needs.
According to Maszlee, there are 12 initiatives to be implemented by the ministry whereby several of them will be implemented in collaboration with other ministries and agencies at the federal and state levels.
He said among the significant initiatives were an RM2.9 billion fund to provide educational assistance to the poor, focusing on food, textbooks and cash.
Another, he said, was an allocation of RM652 million for upgrading and maintaining all schools, an increase from the RM615 million allocated last year.
He explained that the ministry will implement all the initiatives prudently, based on principles of transparency and accountability, for the benefit of the people. — Bernama