KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry is the biggest recipient of the 2020 Budget with an allocation of RM64.1 billion, RM3.9 billion more than this year's allocation.
In tabling the 2020 Budget, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said from the amount, RM735 million will be used for the maintenance and upgrading of schools.
"Another RM783 million will be used for dilapidated schools, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.
"Several new schools will also be built in Langkawi, Kulai, Hulu Langat, Putrajaya, Pasir Gudang, Tumpat, Marang and Johor Bahru," he said.
For national schools, Lim said, RM23 million will be allocated to equip them and ensure they are disabled-friendly.
"This is in line with the Education Ministry's zero-reject policy, where no child is denied the right to education,” he said.
He said the government will also increase the amount of utility assistance to include sewerage services, with an additional allocation of RM12 million benefiting 2,000 government-aided schools.
In efforts to mainstream Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the government has also increased the allocation from RM5.7 billion in 2019 to RM5.9 billion in 2020.
Meanwhile, the total allocation for educational institutions under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) for 2020 is RM1.3 billion, with a further RM2 billion allocated for student loans benefiting 50,000 students, Lim said.
He said RM192 million is also allocated for professional certification programmes under Yayasan Peneraju.