KAJANG: Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has urged all quarters, especially parents, to report to the ministry if schools have made any deductions in the Early Schooling Aid (BAP).

She stressed that the RM150 cash aid per student must be disbursed to parents in full amount.

"It cannot be deducted in any way. The BAP must be paid to parents in its full amount, as provided by the government.

"Hopefully, this aid can help ease the parents' burden," she told reporters after gracing the Chinese New Year celebration and presentation of BAP 2024 at Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Yu Hua here today.

Recent media reports have highlighted claims that parents only received RM50 out of the total allocated RM150 for BAP.

Yesterday, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said that no complaints or reports have been received regarding the deduction of BAP by schools since its distribution began on Jan 10.

He said that RM788.17 million in aid has been allocated to 5.5 million students nationwide, with the distribution expected to be completed by Feb 10.

At today's event, Fadhlina also handed over a mock cheque for BAP amounting to RM127,311,600 to Selangor Education director Dr Jafri Abu for distribution to 848,744 students at 933 schools in the state.

She mentioned that Selangor has the highest number of BAP recipients due to having the largest student population in the country.

-- BERNAMA