Dewan Negara News-In-Brief: Dec 5

RM1.18 BLN IN GENERAL SCHOOL AID DISTRIBUTED TO 10,360 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THIS YEAR – FADHLINA

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Education (MOE) has distributed a total of RM1.18 billion in general schooling assistance to 10,360 schools and educational institutions nationwide this year.

Minister Fadhlina Sidek said of the total amount, RM309.86 million was channelled to 4,329 rural schools as part of an initiative to ensure that children in these areas were not marginalised.

“The general schooling assistance is given to schools to support activities like teaching and learning, sports, co-curricular programmes, personality development, and student welfare, in addition to school administration and hostels,” she said during a question and answer session at the Dewan Negara today.

Fadhlina said this in response to Senator Datuk Dr Azhar Ahmad’s question about the amount of aid allocated by the ministry to schools, particularly those in rural areas.

-- BERNAMA

DESA LESTARI PROGRAMME CONDITIONS AIM TO BOOST COOPERATIVES, VILLAGERS' INCOME - RUBIAH

Kuala Lumpur, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- The conditions set for the Desa Lestari Programme aim not only to increase the income of cooperatives but also to provide job opportunities for villagers, the Dewan Negara was told today.

Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Rubiah Wang said among the conditions for plementing the programme was that a village must have an active cooperative and a solid business plan with significant potential for development.

“We have six programmes, including agriculture, retail, and business, that have the potential for development and generate returns. Based on records, one of the successful Desa Lestari programmes is agro-tourism, such as in Kampung Pulau Tuba, Langkawi.

“Through the Desa Lestari programme, they received a RM1 million grant, which can be used to generate business or economic programmes that bring profits to the cooperative and the village,” she said during a question and answer session.

She said this in reply to a supplementary question from Senator Hussin Ismail, who asked whether the government would consider easing the conditions of the Desa Lestari programme.

Rubiah said that more than 150 villages nationwide have participated in the programme, which has been implemented since 2013 as an initiative to empower the rural economy.

-- BERNAMA