By Yasmin Ramlan
SHAH ALAM, Nov 26 — Mobile libraries remain highly relevant, particularly for targeted groups like the underprivileged, said Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
Citing the Selangor Public Library Corporation (PPAS) as an example, he said it continues to operate mobile libraries, delivering books to remote areas and low-cost housing apartments for the B40 (low-income) group.
“The Selangor mobile library is extending its services to rural areas, low-cost apartments, and B40 communities to address their limited access to reading materials.
“Many in these areas live with financial constraints, making it harder for them to buy books or access reading resources,” he said in an interview with KoolFm today.
“So, we bring our library van to them, for instance, during events, which allows residents to explore books and even become members of the Selangor library branches,” Amirudin said, adding that Selangor has over 100 libraries statewide.
Meanwhile, Selangor’s free tuition scheme, which has been carried out since 2009, has seen significant growth, particularly in the last five years.
“Yes, we have been consistent since 2009, but the numbers have continued to grow, especially in the last five years.
“For example, last year we had nearly 100,000 participants, but this year it increased to 130,000. The additional 30,000 includes 20,000 students affected by the pandemic who faced challenges with reading, counting, and so on.
“I have already presented this initiative to the Education Minister, who mentioned that other states are also launching similar programmes.
“This effort has been very effective. It has significantly helped, as seen in the improvement of our SPM results,” he said.
The tuition programme has been introduced to support two targeted groups, namely schol students who cannot afford private tuition and those at risk of failing their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
“The initiative aims to ensure these students achieve at least a basic pass in their SPM, providing them with essential academic qualifications,” he said.
The Selangor People’s Tuition Programme (PTRS) provides free tuition for students preparing for the SPM examination.
Launched in 2009, it now supports 130,000 students, including Form Four and Five pupils, in subjects such as Bahasa Melayu, English, Mathematics, Science, History, and Additional Mathematics.
Earlier, Amirudin touched on the Selangor Education Summit (SES) 2024, which will take place at Setia Alam Convention Centre (SCCC), Shah Alam, and is set to welcome more than 300,000 visitors.
