The government decided to give the one-off RM100 schooling aid under Budget 2012 also to students of private schools because it does not want to discriminate between students of government and private schools, Deputy Education Minister Mohd Puad Zarkashi said in Batu Pahat.

Dr Puad Zarkashi He said a RM50-million allocation was made to cover the aid to 500,000 students of private schools, including Chinese private schools and people’s religious schools.

“These students also face the same difficulty as those of government schools in buying school uniforms and such. We are fair to all. We are sensitive to the people’s problems,” he told Bernama after attending a meeting with residents of Kampung Kluang, Rengit last night.  

In addressing the residents, Mohd Puad advised the people of all races to maintain unity as exemplified by the Harimau Muda football team which defended the country’s SEA Games gold medal at the 26th edition of the biennial games in Jakarta on Monday.

At the gathering, attended by over 1,000 people, Mohd Puad presented aid, including wheelchairs and spectacles, to the needy.  

- Bernama