Nearly 900 schools join govt's Sekolah Angkat Madani programme to bridge education gap

New Straits Times

3 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 900 schools nationwide have joined the government's Sekolah Angkat Madani initiative, also known as Samadani, aimed at narrowing the education gap and supporting underserved communities.
The programme, introduced under the Madani Economy framework, is on track to meet its target of 1,000 participating schools by the year-end.
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said the initiative reflects the government's determination to ensure that no child is left behind, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas.
"This initiative builds on the success of Kampung Angkat Madani and Santuni Madani, which demonstrated that direct, collaborative efforts are effective in helping those most in need.
"With Samadani, the effort is being taken a step further by involving schools in need as part of the broader Madani agenda", he said after the launch today, adding that they hoped to meet the 1,000 schools target by October.
He said nearly 300 of the participating schools are in Sarawak, Sabah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis — states identified as requiring additional support.
The programme focuses on five core areas: upgrading school infrastructure, strengthening academic and student support, enhancing teacher development, providing financial aid and scholarships, and fostering student character and soft skills.
Shamsul said the programme's success was made possible through the support of more than 80 participating organisations, including:
- 29 government ministries (including the Prime Minister's Department)
- 29 government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs)
- 27 Minister of Finance Incorporated (MoF Inc.) companies — such as Amanah Raya, Bank Rakyat and BSN, and;
- 32 private sector partners, including 99 Speed Mart, Maxis and Dialog.
"This is not a one-off contribution but a strategic partnership designed to bring lasting impact to schools and communities," he said.
Shamsul also highlighted existing corporate initiatives that complement the programme including Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Foundation's tuition programme, which recorded 95 per cent student attendance and 92 per cent academic improvement; and the Petronas Foundation's Duta Guru programme, which aims to train over 4,500 Stem teachers, with more than 1,300 already involved.
The other corporate initiatives also include Yayasan Sime Darby's support for SK Abaka in Tawau, Sabah, following a fire; and TM Foundation's Future Skills programme, which has certified more than 10,000 students and 1,000 teachers in fields such as robotics and data analytics.
He said these corporations are not just involved in repairing infrastructure but also in talent building, such as by introducing subjects such as artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation.
The first phase of Samadani runs until Dec 31.
Shamsul said the response so far has been very encouraging, and the government hopes to see more companies come forward to support the national movement.
"This is not just an investment in education — it is an investment in Malaysia's future leaders and innovators."