Posts Tagged ‘Funds’

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give funds directly to PTA says association

August 3rd, 2010
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The news below appeared over a week ago. Interesting to read the reasons given by the president. Yes, it does seem logical. On the other hands, giving the funds to established NGOs who have been involved in Tamil schools for two decades or so, also makes sense. So, which is better option.

Giving money to NGOs can help in terms of organising events on larger or coordinated scale. The NGOs have experience of conducting various events, so it will be easier. However, the downside is that the NGOs may only be focusing on areas or schools which they are familiar or comfortable with. Some schools may not have a strong PTA, thus having NGOs organising events and program will help reduce burden on PTA and teachers.

As for giving money to PTAs, I’m sure readers are aware that a number of PTAs have connections with political parties. Some do see the position in PTA as some sort channel for income for their business as caterers, contractors, printers etc. The chances of funds being misused exists, especially when the PTA people are in cohort with the school management. But on a positive side, all schools will have opportunity to do some events for themselves. Schools may most likely know what they need and can fine-tune programs to meet those requirements.

I would agree with the proposal to split the funding into two: NGOs and PTAs. This will help to cover all bases and diversify the channels. For example, state level Science Fair can be given fund under NGO category (organised by Tamil Foundation). School-level canteen day or UPSR motivation talk can receive funding via PTA.

But I’m surprised if words such as “irrelevant” is used by the PTA association in reference to EWRF or Tamil Foundation. These NGOs are well known in Tamil School environment, so “irrelevant” is an amusing choice of word.

THE Tamil Schools Parents’ Association in Selangor is demanding that the RM4mil state government allocations for Tamil schools be channelled directly to schools’ parent-teacher associations (PTAs) and not via irrelevant third parties, reports Malaysia Nanban.

Its president S. Murali said the demands would be highlighted in an eight-point memorandum to be presented to the mentri besar within the next few days.

He said the PTAs would be in a better position to manage the funds as they had first-hand information on the situation in their respective schools.

Murali said that although the Selangor Government had allocated RM4mil in annual funds last year for Tamil schools, only RM2.4mil was dispersed while the rest was channelled to three non-governmental organisations to carry out Tamil education development programmes in the state.

He suggested the state government allocate separate funding for the NGOs.

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Rm23 million for graduates to become entrepreneurs

July 25th, 2010
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Firstly, only RM2 million has been utilised from the total amount of RM25 million allocated for last 5 years (9th MP). Something seriously wrong with fund management? Not enough publicity?

People complaining not enough funding, and yet, only received 1347 application for last 10 years???

Secondly, is this reserved for certain group of the population or open to all citizens of Malaysia? I didn’t get the impression that its open to all, when I read their website at http://www.insken.gov.my/home (refer their application guidelines at http://www.insken.gov.my/web/guest/training/1/4 )

Hopefully they can clarify so that don’t give false hope for the rest of the citizens of our country.

Probably, all those schemes reserved for that particular group of population should be put under one of the agencies handling just their matters (like MARA, TEKUN, MEB, etc.) Then it won’t mislead or give wrong impression to the rest of us on what is the reality.

The article on RM23 million which appears on Malaysiakini.

Graduates keen to start their own businesses can apply to the Graduate Entrepreneur Fund which still has RM23 million from the RM25 million allocated under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Deputy director of the International Trade and Industry Ministry’s Entrepreneurship Institute Malaysia, Samsu Kadir, said from 2000 to May this year, only 1,347 applications had been received for the fund.

“From the number, a total of 659 applicants received loan approvals with the cooperation of SME Bank,” he told reporters after officiating a basic entrepreneurship training programme here today.

Samsu said the ministry encouraged graduates from local institutions of higher learning to make use of the opportunities to become entrepreneurs.

He said the ministry had conducted various training programmes which covered 7,943 participants from 2000 to 2009.

Samsu said the institute targeted 30 participants for each programme and as at May 2010, 31 applications were received for the Graduate Entrepreneur Fund with four of them already approved.

He said the amount given out under the fund was from RM20,000 to RM250,000 with a maximum repayment period of 10 years.

– Bernama

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12 new campuses but not for all to benefit

July 18th, 2010
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UPDATE – Today’s Star reports that the “The construction will be fully-funded by private companies, with the project cost for each campus not exceeding RM300mil” according to Higher Education Minister. Wow, I wonder which private companies are so benevolent to spend a collective amount of RM3.6 billion, and what’s the catch. And if these are companies with the public as shareholders, then maybe the shareholder should start asking questions on how RM300 million can be better utilised. Maybe should boycott such companies. – END UPDATE.

What would you do if you are a believer in justice, fairness, equality, and pray to God? Build campuses at cost of RM300 million each that would only benefit certain groups, or benefit everyone?

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) will build 12 new campuses by 2015, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

He said this was in line with UiTM’s target of having 200,000 students in five years’ time.

The construction of six of the campuses have been approved while the rest are still are at the discussion stage prior to the Cabinet’s approval, he told reporters after the earth-breaking ceremony of UiTM Johor campus in Pasir Gudang here Saturday.

Mohamed Khaled said besides Pasir Gudang, other campuses would be built in Pekan, Dengkil, Tapah, Jasin and Seremban Tiga.

He said each campus, which would be built at the cost of RM300 million, would enrol between 4,000 and 5,000 students while each hostel could accommodate 2,000 students. On the Pasir Gudang campus, he said it would be completed in three years’ time and would offer diploma in engineering (civil, electrical, chemical and mechanical), and diploma in business studies.

12 x RM300 million = Rm3.6 billion for just one group of people. And the rest scrape the bottom of the barrel is it?

Why not build new campuses for UM, UKM, UTM, UTEM, UNIMAP, UPM, USM, UNIMAS, UMS, etc?

Yeah, we support 1Malaysia.

On an hindsight, I think 1Malaysia is the most misused and abused word in Malaysia, at the moment. Everything also, shout 1Malaysia. Get something, its due 1Malaysia. Don’t get something, say not following 1Malaysia. Rakyat is smart already 🙂

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MIED loan given out

July 2nd, 2010
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Surprising news indeed since there wasn’t any news of the loan application being open in recent times. Maybe I missed it.

Anyway, RM96 million has been given out since 1984, which is 26 years period. That’s about RM3.69 million per year. Its also an average of RM10105 per student. For the current session, RM1.5 million for 189 students averages about Rm7936 per student.

The Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) has disbursed study loans and grants worth RM96 million to 9,500 students since 1984, its chairman Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said today.

Samy Vellu, who is also the MIC president said MIED would continue to assist needy students in pursuing their education at tertiary level.

“At the same time, I also urge recipients who are currently employed to repay their loans so that we can help other students,” he said before handing out MIED study loans worth RM1.5 million to 189 students at the MIC headquarters here.

He said to-date, the MIED had managed to collect more than RM38 million from previous MIED recipients.

“We managed to recover this amount following several reminders and legal notices to some loan recipients,” he said.

He also said the MIC owned-Tafe College in Seremban managed to create more than 40,000 professionals to-date.

“The MIC will continue to place priority on education amongst the Indians,” he said, adding that he was happy that the target set by the party to create a graduate in each Indian family has gained momentum.

“In fact, there are more than one graduate in a family and many of them are professionals. The MIED itself has helped thousands of students to become doctors and lawyers,” he added.

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SJKT Kulai Besar to be rebuilt but still partially-aided

July 2nd, 2010
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The school (one of the top performing schools in UPSR) was partially burnt down recently on June 19th, and nearly half the students end up studying in tents. 7 classrooms and 6 other roooms (living skills, sports, remedial, counselling, textbook and special pupils’ rooms) were destroyed with the loss estimated at RM436,902.

The good news:

the DPM who is also the Education Minister, has instructed that the new school be built here immediately for the benefit of its 1,258 pupils. The new school building will have 25 classroom, an increase from the earlier plan of 18 proposed by PWD (JKR).  Also, RM100,000 has been allocated for the construction of cabins for temporary use.

“We want the new school to be ready within 12 months,” he said at a meeting with the Parent-Teacher’s Association (PTA) of the school, here Saturday.

He had instructed the Public Works Department to issue a Letter of Acceptance immediately so that construction work on the school costing more than RM3 million on a 2.19-hectare site contributed by Asiatic Development Berhad, the developer for Asiatic Indahpura, could begin next month.

A bit of background on the school:

The Star on Friday had highlighted that pupils in Year 3, 4 and special needs classes had to rough it out in both the morning and afternoon sessions since the fire on June 19.

The school, which is more than 60 years old, has 1,246 students and 74 teachers.

The losses sustained in the fire is estimated to be around RM436,000.

When asked at a dialogue with parents about the delay and the many promises that were made in the past about the relocation of the school, Muhyiddin replied that he was the Education Minister and work on the new school would start by next month and it was expected to be completed within one year.

The school’s PTA chairman K. Sree Thren said the parents and the Indian community in the area were elated as this put to rest a problem that had been plaguing the community for the past 14 to 15 years.

“In 2008, we found a piece of land about 1km away for the relocation of the school but unfortunately the project never got off the ground,” he said.

Now for the part that pisses me off (if indeed its true):

He (DPM) brushed aside another request from a parent who wanted the school to be turned into a fully aided school, saying, “It is all the same as presently, the salaries of all the teachers here together with new buildings and cabins are being paid for by the Government.

Doesn’t make sense at all right? If its “all the same”, then why bother having two categories or why don’t want to convert the school into full-aided? There’s a difference between being fully-aided and partially-aided, and I think its unbecoming and misleading to say otherwise.

In fact,  since the new school building will be on land donated by the private sector, it will be easy to convert to fully-aided status. So, what gives?

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Posted in BornInMalaysia, Tamil-Schools

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