Budget 2026: Govt Expands School Aid To Cover Poor Students Up To Form Five

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 (Bernama) -- The government has agreed to expand the general school assistance initiative to include poor students up to Form Five, with an allocation of RM180 million, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. 

Anwar said that currently, the aid is only provided to underprivileged students up to Form Three.

“All 5.2 million students in government schools will also receive RM150 in Early School Assistance, with a total allocation of RM800 million.

“Starting in 2026, the aid distribution will be conducted through schools, with teachers handing the assistance directly to parents to strengthen ties between teachers and parents for the betterment of children’s education,” he said when tabling Budget 2026 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Anwar said the Education Ministry has been allocated RM66.2 billion compared with RM64.2 billion this year, with improving school infrastructure remaining a priority under the MADANI government.

He said nearly RM2 billion has been allocated to upgrade more than 520 dilapidated schools, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak, while also repairing and maintaining various types of schools, including student facilities and teachers’ rooms.

In addition, he said 38 new schools will be built to meet local needs, including the construction of additional classrooms through the Industrialised Building System (IBS) method at existing schools. RM100 million has also been set aside to build additional classrooms in over 100 high-density schools.

“Another 350 new preschool classes will be established within existing school buildings, with an allocation exceeding RM100 million to address the shortage of preschool facilities,” he said.

In line with the push for digital literacy, Anwar said smart televisions will be supplied to 10,800 preschools, nurseries and kindergartens nationwide at a cost of RM70 million.

The prime minister added that the government remains committed to supporting the welfare and education of special needs children, with two new special education secondary schools to be built — SMK Pendidikan Khas Kota Damansara in Selangor and SMK Pendidikan Khas Pasir Mas in Kelantan.

Additionally, 150,000 students with disabilities will receive a monthly allowance of RM150, involving a total of RM270 million, while RM30 million has been allocated to improve school facilities and equipment to be more disability-friendly.

To address dropout issues, the ‘Program Anak Kita’ initiative, in collaboration with Yayasan Hasanah, will be implemented with an allocation of RM30 million.

“In line with the 13th Malaysia Plan’s emphasis on in-service training, RM115 million will be allocated to provide teachers with curriculum preparation training for 2027 and pedagogical training in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics),” he said.

-- BERNAMA