NEWS: Help is a call away

HELLO, Hishammuddin here.

I would like to enrol my child in a fully-residential school. What should I do, please?”

All smiles at the signing ceremony were (from left) Lin, Loo, Badlisham and Ng.

Posing as a parent, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein called the ministry’s customer service centre and was given helpful pointers by an employee.

Pleased with the response, Hishammuddin said anyone with queries, suggestions or complaints should just pick up the phone and dial the centre. One of the personnel on the line would be sure to lend a hand.

The one-stop centre, which can handle up to 76,000 calls a month, would make it easier for people to contact the ministry, Hishammuddin said after launching it at his ministry last week.

“It will improve our delivery system and help us respond effectively and efficiently to enquiries from the public,” he added. The centre, a collaboration between the ministry and Telekom Malaysia Bhd, will cost RM8mil to set up and maintain.

Hishammuddin also distributed RM50mil in aid to Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) of all government schools in the country, the first time such an allocation has been given. The money will be channelled to schools based on their student population.

Primary schools will get RM8 per pupil and secondary schools, RM10 per student. A total of RM25.2mil will go to 7,627 primary schools and RM22.6mil to 3,155 secondary schools. The remainder will be distributed to new schools.

Schools are expected to receive the money within 14 days. The aid was given following the ministry’s decision that schools defer the collection of PTA fees until June this year to reduce the burden on parents who may be facing financial difficulties.

However, schools can still collect PTA fees from students after the amount has been agreed to at the PTAs’ annual general meetings.

To contact the Education Ministry, call 03-7723 7070 between 8.30am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays), or e-mail
kpkpm@moe.gov.my. You can also visit
www.moe.gov.my. — SIMRIT KAUR