IPOH: The Supplementary Food Programme (RMT) for primary school students is likely to motivate the orang asli children to attend school.
In this regard, state Education, Technology, Science and Environment Committee chairman Dr Abdul Aziz Bari (pix) has proposed for a pilot project be carried out at the orang asli settlement before the supplementary food programme for all school students to commence next year.
Abdul Aziz (PH-Tebing Tinggi) said a detailed study was necessary to avoid any problems such as food poisoning as the existing food providers such as school canteen operators had no experience in the large-scale cooking.
“RMT has had a positive impact on health education as well as making students active particularly in the orang asli settlements and I was informed that they like to come to school because, besides music, there is also food,” he said in his reply to an oral question from Noor Dawoo (BN-Selinsing) during the Perak State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.
Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik announced in August that free breakfast is to be provided to every student attending the school by January next year.
Abdul Aziz also added that presently the state education department has yet to receive any directives and implementation mechanisms related to the programme from the Ministry of Education. — Bernama
