ALOR STAR: The Kedah state government has allocated RM355,500 for its free tuition programme, the Barakah Tuition Centre, for 1,200 students in all of its 15 constituencies this year.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah said the allocation for the tuition programme was increased following the success of the programme last year.
He said last year the state allocated about RM180,000 for the tuition programme involving 600 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates.
“Due to the success of last year’s Barakah Tuition Centre, we are expanding it to Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) candidates,” he told reporters after handing the letters of appointment to 57 teachers handling the tuition classes under the programme.
He said last year, a total of 138 SPM candidates scored a minimum 4As in their SPM examination.
Bashah said the tuition centre is handled by the Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) Kedah with cooperation from the state Education Department.
“Each constituency will have 80 students chosen from families with income below RM3,000,” he said.
The tuition classes will involve four subjects each for SPM, UPSR and STAM candidates, while classes for STPM candidates will cover three subjects.