Rokiah Mahmud
The Ministry of Education (MoE) has been allocated with a budget of BND797,852, 995 for the fiscal year 2023-2024 during yesterday’s 19th Legislative Council (LegCo) session.
Minister of Education Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Setia Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh said BND547,570,020 is provisioned for salaries of 12,610 teaching and non-teaching staff. BND226,624,150 is allocated for recurring expenses.
The minister said BND23,658,825 is budgeted for development expenses.
Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Setia Dr Hajah Romaizah said that this fiscal year is significant for the education sector as they are addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at all government and private schools and educational institutions.
“The pandemic has not only affected the health and wellbeing of students, but also has forced the closure of schools at various levels for about 185 days during the recovery phases of COVID-19. It caused disruption to schooling and learning loss among students,” she said.
“One of the main objectives of the ministry is overcoming the issue of learning loss through the implementation of the learning recovery programme for primary and secondary education, particularly in for aspects of literacy, numeracy, and science,” said the minister.
She added that it also provides support to existing long-term initiatives to assist students who encountered difficulties in acquiring literacy and numeracy skills.
Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Setia Dr Hajah Romaizah said projects for the upcoming fiscal year include developing students readiness for future through various local and international programmes.
The main projects’ focus on generating an innovative education ecosystem, include maintaining best practices of blended learning or online learning; strengthening the standards and curriculum for digital literacy; implementing initiatives to set up a learning management system; provide smart classrooms; and launching of MOE TV and a digital resource management system.
The minister also outlined projects related to human resource developments, including providing professional development programmes for educators, school leaders and education experts; and empowering digital competency of teachers through digital learning training.
“The projects will also include increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of maintaining and addressing issues related to the well-being of teachers and school leaders; and strengthening the competency framework for educators and non-educators in technical education institutions,” she said.
Other projects will also serve as enabler to broadening the importance of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematicS skills as a development catalyst. The ministry will review core subjects, compulsory and elective in the National Education System for the 21st Century; carrying out studies in the form of consultations, collaborations or internal research; upgrade public school infrastructure and others.
