EDUCATION POLICY HELPS EASE PARENTS' BURDEN - DPM

PORT DICKSON (Malaysia), Sept 29 (Bernama) -- The education policy of the
ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government has helped parents bear the cost of
sending their children to school, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said.

For food assistance alone, the government had spent a total of RM1.8 billion
(US$516.5 million), he said.

There were also other forms of assistance including uniforms and textbooks,
he added.

"I was told about this during a briefing; then I asked why the people were
not told about this as this may result in them not appreciating the aid provided
by the government or taking the assistance for granted," he said.

Muhyiddin, who is the education minister, was speaking at the
ground-breaking ceremony of a primary school here Monday.

He said that free education policy, which had been in existence for so long,
won accolades at the international level but there were people in the country
who acted to the contrary by criticising the system.

"Not many countries are practising a system like this; not only that
students are given free education, the government is also providing additional
assistance.

"The government spent RM7.8 billion on teachers' salary alone; in fact, 26
per cent of the RM200 million allocation under the Ninth Malaysia Plan are spent
on education," he said, adding that the government would continue with the
policy and improving it from time to time so that the country could compete with
others. (US$1=RM3.48)

"We want to have a higher income compared to other countries but this
depends on the government's ability to provide good education from the primary
school right to the university level," he said.

He added that the BN government wanted to create a huge pool of talented
people to spur the country's economy but they should first be given the
opportunity to master science and innovation.

Muhyiddin also said that in the future the country could no longer depend on
foreigners as the responsibility to build the nation should be shouldered by
Malaysians themselves.

The RM18 million school project is expected to be completed next year.

Muhyiddin also announced the setting up of a secondary school with a cost of
RM20 million, to be built either this year and next year.

He said some RM3.8 million had also been approved to repair 21 schools
including Chinese and Tamil schools.

Stressing that the announcement of development projects was not for fishing
votes for the Bagan Pinang by-election on Oct 11, Muhyiddin nevertheless said
that each development project implemented by the government was closely related
to the BN.

"BN is the government, and the government is BN," he said.
-- BERNAMA