Tuition fee subsidies for more children

UP TO 1,000 more needy children will benefit from tuition fee subsidies next year when the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) loosens the income eligibility criteria for its education programme.

Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, who is also chairman of the CDAC Education committee, said yesterday that the programme was extended so that more needy families can benefit, especially during the current economic climate.

'We are raising the income criteria so that those who previously did not qualify and had to either resort to private tuition or did not have tuition available to them will now be able to qualify,' he said.

The CDAC offers Chinese, English, mathematics and science tuition at over 70 centres. Only needy students are eligible.

From next year, families with a monthly income of $2,500 and below, or per capita income of $650 and below, will be able to benefit from the CDAC's education programme, it announced yesterday.

Previously, only those with a monthly household income of $2,000 and below, or per capita income of $500 and below, qualified.

Launched in 1993, CDAC's education programme is aimed at helping students from needy families to improve their grades. CDAC also identifies students who are not doing well in school to go through its tuition programmes.

Currently, 7,500 students qualify for its programmes. With the revision, it hopes to see 700 to 1,000 more benefit. They are identified through schools, community groups and outreach programmes.

The tuition fees at CDAC centres are $8 per subject per month for primary school pupils. Secondary students pay $12. Those who cannot afford the fees can have them waived, provided their monthly household income does not exceed $1,200.

The last review of income criteria was done four years ago, said Mr Gan, adding that the community group will continue to monitor the situation.

One family that will benefit from the revision is Mr Lim Tong Heng and his two children - aged nine and 11.

The delivery driver and his wife together earn $2,458 and hence, had to send their children to private tuition at his neighbourhood Residents' Committee centre. With the higher income ceiling in effect, Mr Lim will be able to send his children to CDAC centres and save nearly $100 a month in tuition fees. 'Any money I can save is good for me, so that I don't have to worry,' he said.

The announcements were made during CDAC's annual Ready For School project to help needy students get ready for their school term by providing haversacks and transport and book vouchers which were given out at two separate events by MrGan and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Heng Chee How.