Fifty-five religious schools in Kedah today received a windfall of RM6.36 million from the federal government in a gesture demonstrating that the interests of religious schools will be safeguarded.
The aid was distributed to 34 people’s religious schools (RM3.186 million),
17 government-aided religious schools (RM2.38 million) and four secondary religious schools (RM800,000).
The money, which will enable the schools to upgrade infrastructure and schooling aid, was handed over by Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at a special meeting with educators at Universiti Teknologi Mara Kedah in Merbok.
Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president and Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman, is on a day-long visit to Kedah.
Some RM27.19 million has been allocated for six development projects being and to be implemented, encompassing the improvement of infrastructure and buildings of government-aided religious schools in the state.
The schools are SMA Darus Saadah, Kepala Batas; SMA Hidayah Islamiah, Kubang Pasu; SMA Maahad Tahfiz Al-Abidin, Pendang; SMA An-Najah, Baling; SMA Daril Iktisam, Kuala Nerang and SMA Fauzi, Yan.
Earlier, at the meeting, Muhyiddin held a dialogue with the educators and responded to questions pertaining to the development of religious schools.
He said the federal government has never taken into account the differences in political ideology on the question of religious development.
The role of religious schools is important in moulding knowledgeable human capital of high character, he said.
“A developed country needs skilled manpower which can meet the socio-economic demands, and trained manpower contributes to national economic growth,” he said.
– Bernama
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