The government's decision to allocate RM250,000 to boost the standard of education in 125 Tamil schools is far from sufficient, said Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia (Prim) pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar today.

Describing the amount from the Rural Development Ministry as 'ridiculous', he stressed in a press statement that "one cannot even build half a Tamil school with this sort of fund."

He said the amount, if divided among the schools, would work out to a paltry RM2,000 per school and if there were an average of 100 pupils in each school, the calculation would be about RM20 per student for a year.

The allocation - for training and education programmes - was announced by MIC president and Works Minister S Samy Vellu yesterday.

It will cover 97 schools in Selnagor, 16 in Johor and 12 in Perak. About 5,400 pupils are expected to benefit from it.

Meanwhile, Utahaykumar also highlighted that the government allocated RM1.8 billion for rural poor primary and secondary schools in this year's budget.

"However, only RM250,000 is being allocated for 125 Tamil schools, that too only for three states. In any event, RM200 million was allocated to assist poor students continue with their education under the 2004 budget.

"So where is the rest of the allocation (RM1.8 billion and RM200 million) going to?" he asked.

RM500 mil needed

The Prim leader called on the government to approve at least RM500 million to help the 500 over Tamil schools in the country since about 80 percent of them are not fully-aided.

He said many old and dilapidated Tamil schools are falling apart, putting students at risk of injury and even death.

"This pathetic state of Tamil schools which is lacking the resources enjoyed by Chinese and national schools may also produce high dropout rates, which in term leads them (former students) to criminal activities," he added.

Uthayakumar also asked why the Education Ministry has not made all Tamil schools fully-aided when the Education Act 1968 was amended to make primary school education compulsory.

"The discrimination in allocation is again a violation of Article 12 of the federal constitution (the right to education)," he said.