Siena:The nearly RM69 billion allocation for Malaysia's Education Ministry under Budget 2027 is set to enhance national education quality through improvements in school infrastructure and welfare for students and teachers.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the budget includes RM2 billion dedicated to the repair and maintenance of various schools and nearly RM1.3 billion to upgrade 682 dilapidated schools. This funding aims to address the educational facility gap, particularly in rural and remote areas.

Dr. Nazreena Mohammed Yasin, a senior lecturer at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, highlighted the importance of providing a safe and conducive learning environment for students, regardless of their location. She noted that the allocation could significantly narrow the gap in educational facilities, especially for schools facing challenges with infrastructure and basic utilities.

The government's plan to expand the deployment of teacher assistants to 200 high-density primary schools was also praised by Nazreena. She emphasized that this would allow teachers to focus more on educating, planning lessons, and assessing students' progress, ultimately improving the quality of education.

Dr. Wan Marzuki Wan Jaafar, dean of the Faculty of Educational Studies at Universiti Putra Malaysia, described the budget increase as a crucial investment in human capital development. He stressed the importance of ensuring that the allocated funds result in tangible improvements in school conditions, student wellbeing, and access to quality education.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the allocation for school repairs and maintenance had doubled from RM1 billion to RM2 billion under Budget 2027. Additionally, Finance Minister highlighted increased funding for National Schools, National-Type Chinese Schools, and National-Type Tamil Schools, alongside plans to phase in the hiring of teacher assistants based on effectiveness evaluations.