BAP payments channelled based on existing school records - Fadhlina

PUTRAJAYA - Parents and guardians do not need to fill out application forms to receive the RM150 Early Schooling Aid (BAP) announced on Monday, as it will be channelled based on existing records in their children's schools, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said.

Speaking to the media after the closing ceremony of the International Education Counsellor Conference here today, she said BAP will be disbursed in January to all students.

"(BAP) is for all students. We maintain like last year. Their records are already with the school, all they (parents and guardians) have to do is to collect it from the school as done before, just like in the previous years,” she said.

On Monday, the Education Ministry (MoE) announced that the government has allocated RM788.13 million through Budget 2024 presented last Friday for BAP.

The MoE said the BAP payments will be done as a one-off payment through the schools and channelled to students in cash or credited to their respective accounts, benefiting more than 5.25 million students.

Separately, Fadhlina said the MOE is committed to achieving the target ratio of one counsellor for 250 primary and secondary school students to ensure efficient and effective guidance and interventions for clients.

Without specifying the current ratio and when the target will be achieved, she said the ministry is working hard to ensure this target can be met.

Meanwhile, in her speech, Fadhlina emphasised the need for a special counselling approach for Special Education Needs students (MBPK).

"When providing services to MBPK, guidance and counselling teachers need to understand the aspect of cross-culturalism, in this context referring to the MBPK culture who are persons with disabilities (PwD).

"Therefore, guidance and counselling teachers need to be more creative and innovative so that a specialised and more suitable counselling and guidance process can be generated and implemented for MBPK clients,” she said.

During the event, Fadhlina also launched six documents, namely the Education Counsellor and Guidance and Counselling Teachers Competency Development Plan; Crisis Intervention Guide; Crisis Intervention Implementation Module; the MOE's Psychological Counselling Service Strategic Plan 2023/2025; Psychological Counselling and Guidance Service Guidelines for MOE; and the online Post-Suicide Incident Kit. - BERNAMA