SHAH ALAM, 3 Apr: As of now, the State Government has spent over RM600,000 to provide pre-school assistance to low-income families.
This indicates claims and actions of some parties in suing the State Government for allegedly failing to fulfill promises made for the 2008 election to provide pre-school assistance.
For the year 2012, the Selangor Kindergarten Assistance Scheme (Tunas) was first launched in July the same year managed to attract participation of 1,903 children from 217 kindergartens participating in the scheme.
Last year, RM210,475 was spent on the Tunas scheme, where families with a monthly income of RM1,500 and below received RM50 per month to send their children to kindergarten.
However, due to the demands of society, this year the State Government will extend the condition to families earning RM2,500 per month.
The new condition managed to attract 2,420 children from 406 kindergartens up till the end of March, with provisions totaling RM430,220.
For the Si Kembar scheme, starting from early this year till March, a total of 164 children aged four and below were eligible to receive assistance of RM100 per month which will be paid directly to 34 nurseries registered with the Social Welfare Department (JKM).
Education, Higher Education and Human Capital Development Exco, Dr Halimah Ali said that the lawsuit should not have arisen because assistance had already been channelled.
“Many who qualified and met the conditions set have already received benefits from the Tunas Assistance Scheme.
“We will certainly continue this scheme in years to come with improvement so that the people can continue to benefit from this programme,” she explained.