Kuala lumpur: The government will continue to review and consider increasing allocations to the Ministry of Education (MOE) from time to time, including efforts to strengthen digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that budget allocations will be increased in line with the current needs of the national education sector.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Prime Minister Anwar stated, "In my meeting with the Ministry of Finance earlier this week, we also discussed education, as we are now placing emphasis on digitalisation, AI, computing, STEM and so on." The government has decided to review all requirements to further increase expenditure and approvals for the MOE in this year's budget. This announcement was made during the national-level Teachers' Day celebration, which saw the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

Moreover, Anwar highlighted the MADANI Government's commitment to enhancing teachers' welfare, which includes the maintenance and upgrading of teachers' rooms in 3,500 schools. He reported that maintenance work has been completed on 7,000 teachers' rooms to accommodate the growing number of educators. Additionally, in line with the policy of admitting Year One pupils aged six from the 2027 school session, the government has approved the recruitment of an additional 3,150 teachers.

The Prime Minister also noted that more than 4,000 teacher quarters have been maintained, with an expectation that a total of 8,700 quarters will be maintained through additional government allocations. Earlier, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced an additional RM100 million for the maintenance and upgrading of teachers' rooms nationwide, alongside RM50 million dedicated to the maintenance of teacher quarters.