2027 Budget: Fomca welcomes education funding, flags rising school costs
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) has welcomed the substantial allocation for education under the 2027 Budget, but cautioned that parents continue to face rising school-related expenses.
On 2027, Malaysia's Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) welcomed the substantial education funding in the budget but cautioned about rising school costs. Fomca's CEO, Dr Saravanan Thambirajah, welcomed investments in school infrastructure, repairs, maintenance, early schooling assistance and supplementary food programs.
The group emphasized that education should be accessible regardless of a family's financial situation. However, parents still face increasing expenses like uniforms, transportation, learning materials, extracurricular activities and other contributions. The group urged the government to ensure school infrastructure is safe and well-maintained, specifically electrical wiring, toilets, water supply, classrooms and other essential facilities.
Every school improvement allocation must be monitored to ensure timely completion and adherence to standards. For higher education, TVET, and youth employment, Fomca supports initiatives to help PTPTN borrowers, expand TVET, and create more jobs for young Malaysians. The RM8 billion TVET allocation and the goal of creating 30,000 new jobs are encouraging, but training programs must align with industry needs.
Young Malaysians should not be encouraged into unproductive programs. Fomca called for stronger oversight of training institutions, program quality, fees, and graduate employability, aiming for a skilled workforce with sustainable employment and higher incomes. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced RM69 billion for education in the budget, doubling the RM1 billion repair and maintenance fund to RM2 billion and allocating RM19.1 billion for higher education infrastructure upgrades.
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