Cops to escort HMs to withdraw school aid

SERDANG 14, November 2011 - The Education Ministry will work with the police to distribute the RM100 school aid that is expected to be given next week.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the ministry needed  these safety measures to avoid any untoward incident during the process.

"We have asked for police help, especially when  money is  withdrawn from  banks and distributed to  students and parents," he said at the ministry's family day yesterday.

Wee said it would not be safe  if  principals withdrew  the money with only their  assistant.

He said this was because the financial aid involved a large amount of money.

"For example, if a school had 2,000 students,  we'd need to distribute RM200,000 to the school. We would not want the principal to be escorted (only) by the assistant principal.

"If necessary, we will  ask the police to keep watch when the money is  distributed in the school."

To a suggestion that the ministry should bank the aid into  parents' bank account, Wee said this was not practical.

"There are a lot of suggestions, but we have to be aware that there are rural districts that do no have any banks. Some  parents do not even have a bank account.

"Therefore, it is easier if the money is given straight to the school because the students go there."

The RM100 school assistance  is part of the 2012 Budget allocation announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Oct 7.