ALOR SETAR - The Education Ministry (MOE) will make every effort to realise the establishment of a new type of school specifically for students from hardcore poor families next year.
Its Minister Fadhlina Sidek said this was because efforts to provide quality education to underprivileged children in the country have always been part of her ministry’s agenda.
"We will ensure the establishment of this new type of school specifically for our poor children, Insya-Allah,” she told reporters after officiating the Schools in Hospitals (SDH) programme at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital (HSB) here today.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when speaking at the ‘Temu Anwar Bicara Pendidikan Madani’ programme at the Penang Matriculation College, said the government was planning to introduce a new type of school specifically for children of the poorest groups in the country so that they were not left behind in the education system.
Elaborating, Fadhlina said the special school will, among other things, have a clear direction of improving the level of education among children from poor families.
Meanwhile, she said that there are currently 17 SDH operating in 11 states including at HSB in Kedah and the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital in Perlis and the programme was implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
"....we will expand (the SDH programme) and I have discussed the matter with the Health Minister (Dr Zaliha Mustafa), because the issue now is space and we don’t want to disrupt hospital operations.
"It is very important for us to provide a conducive learning environment for these children (undergoing treatment at hospitals),” she said. - BERNAMA