MUKAH: Thirty-eight organisations, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), have received Minor Rural Project (MRP) grants totalling RM154,000 for various projects in the Tellian constituency.
During the MRP presentation ceremony that took place here recently, Tellian assemblyman Royston Valentine said that these grants cover a range of initiatives, such as low-cost projects, educational support, medical assistance, funeral aid, and other welfare-based programs.
But the main focus of the grants, Royston said, is to improve education, with a special emphasis on supporting academic and co-curricular activities through the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).
He also emphasised the need for the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) to review the allocation of school assistance based on the school’s population and student enrolment.
He raised concerns about the limited RM16 per student per year allocation for secondary schools in programs like Bantuan Kokurikulum Sekolah (BKK) and Bantuan Sukan Sekolah (BSS).
According to him, this amount is not sufficient to adequately support schools and their students.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the current annual allocation for sending contingents to various sports competitions is also very limited. This situation can be detrimental, especially for talented students in rural and remote areas who may miss out on opportunities to showcase and develop their skills.
