KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 — The government will provide 50,000 laptops to schools and educational institutions under the Ministry of Education (MoE), said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said this took into account the important role played by teachers in educating and developing students through teaching and learning.
“Teachers need to quickly adapt to digital technology in line with modernisation,” he said when tabling Budget 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat today.
The MoE continues to receive the highest allocation under Budget 2023 with RM55.2 billion, compared to RM52.6 billion in 2022.
A total of RM2.3 billion was set aside to ensure the best infrastructure and learning facilities in all schools for children, including an allocation of RM920 million for buildings and infrastructure in 380 dilapidated schools, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Schools with special needs students will be equipped with facilities for persons with disabilities (PwD) and the government will build an open hall to enable children to gather comfortably,” Anwar said.
Seven new schools would be built for RM560 million, including SK Paya Dusun, Terengganu; SMK Denai Alam, Selangor; SMK Nabalu, Sabah; and SMK Dudong, Sarawak.
In a bid to cover the cost of providing nutritious food to students, the rate of cooked meals for the Supplementary Meal Plan (RMT) has been increased from RM625 million to RM777 million, for the benefit of 700,000 students.
— Bernama
