If you are a student, educator or a stakeholder of the education industry in Malaysia, read on to find out what’s in store with the announcement of Malaysia Budget 2015.
Malaysia Budget 2015 outlines seven key strategies; the third strategy is “Developing Human Capital and Entrepreneurship”. Under this strategy, the government is allocating RM56 billion to the Education Ministry for developing human capital.
Broken down into 12 measures, here’s a quick look and what students, educators and stakeholders of education can look forward to.
Total allocation of RM56 billion for teaching and learning programmes
Measure 1: Strengthening Teaching Professionalism and School Performance |
RM250 million – School Improvement Specialist Coaches and School Improvement Partners programmes |
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| Measure 2: Empowering Trust Schools and Building New Schools | RM10 million – expansion of 20 more Trust Schools in Johor, Sarawak, Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur |
| The building of 12 new schools comprising seven primary schools, three secondary schools and two boarding schools nationwide | |
| Measure 3: Mainstreaming Technical and Vocational Education (TEVT) | RM1.2 billion – to increase student intake in vocational and community colleges and upgrade colleges. |
RM100 million – additional 10,000 placements in technical and vocational private colleges. RM50 million – allocated to MARA to implement TEVT programmes |
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Tax incentives: Double deduction for scholarships awarded to students in vocational and technical courses at the certificate level Double deduction on expenses incurred by a company to implement a structured internship programme for students at diploma and vocational level Further deduction on training expenses incurred by an employer for employees to obtain certificate qualifications from accredited vocational and professional bodies |
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Measure 4: Development and Maintenance of Education Facilities |
RM800 million – towards a safe and conducive learning environment
Electricity and water bills of all National-type schools under MOE will be paid in full up to RM5,000 (previously RM2,000) |
Measure 5: Sponsoring Education |
RM3 billion – sponsorship of education
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Measure 6: Expanding MyBrain15 Programme |
RM112 million – extension of MyBrain15 Programme (currently for the private sector) to civil servants and employees of statutory bodies |
Measure 7: Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional |
10% rebate given to PTPTN borrowers who continuously make repayments for 12 months until 31 December 2015 Additional 20% discount offered to borrowers who make lump sum repayments from now until 31 March 2015 Increased monthly household income limit to RM4,000 (previously RM2,000) for National Education Savings Scheme (SSPN-i) account holders to enjoy matching grants |
| Measure 8: Enhancing Graduate Employability | RM30 million for Industry Academia Collaboration programme where universities, government entities and industries will collaborate to develop the curriculum for the internship programmes and industrial training |
Increased minimum MUET band (previously Band 1) to enter IPTAs: (ii) to graduate, students must achieve |
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| Measure 9: Improving the Well-being of Employees | To safeguard welfare of workers
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Double deduction incentive for the purpose of tax computation for companies who carry out Skim Latihan 1Malaysia to be extended until 31 December 2020 (previously 31 December 2016) |
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Measure 10: Globally Recognised Industry and Professional Certification Programme |
RM300 million – introduction of Globally Recognised Industry and Professional Certification Programme or 1MalaysiaGRIP to train 30,000 workers |
Measure 11: Double Shift Training |
RM570 million – to introduce double shift training capacity for full-time programmes (176 courses) with high demand to train an estimated 48,000 students in a five-year period |
Measure 12: Promoting Start-ups |
RM75,000 paid-up capital and one-year work pass to attract expatriate entrepreneurs to establish start-ups in Malaysia |
