KUALA LUMPUR: The government is allocating RM56 billion under Budget 2015 to the Education Ministry for developing human capital.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak gave his assurance that the education sector will continue to be strengthened in line with the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 with emphasis given towards strengthening schools which require guidance and special assistance.
Najib said the allocation included RM1.2 billion for the Vocational and Technical Transformation Programme (TEVT) to increase intake of students in view of applications received far exceeding the number of places available.
“To open up more opportunities in this field, the Government will allocate RM100 million immediately to the Ministry of Education for 10,000 placements in technical and vocational private colleges.
“Further, RM50 million will be allocated to MARA to implement TEVT programmes,” he said when tabling Budget 2015 themed “People Economy” in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Najib also said that beginning next year, general entry requirements for enrolling in Public Insitutions of Higher Learning (IPTA) which calls for students to achieve Band 1 in the Malaysian University English Test (MUET), will be raised to enhance graudates’ self-confidence and English proficiency skills.
Accordingly, the minimum MUET band will be increased based on the field of study, for example:
a) Arts and Science Courses - Band 2
b) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Courses - Band 3
c) Law and Medical Courses - Band 4
To graduate, students must achieve:
a) Arts and Science Courses - Band 3
b) STEM Courses - Band 4
c) Law and Medical Courses - Band 5
Besides this, to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment, the Government will allocate RM800 million for the following:
- National schools - RM450 million
- National type Chinese schools - RM50 million
- National type Tamil schools - RM50 million
- Religious schools - RM50 million
- Fully residential schools - RM50 million
- Government Aided Religious schools - RM50 million
- MARA Junior Science Colleges - RM50 million
- Registered Sekolah Pondok - RM 25 million; and
- National Chinese Secondary Schools (Conforming Schools) which use the national curriculum - RM25 million