By Jane Ng

DESPITE the enhancement of financial help schemes outlined on Tuesday, several MPs said yesterday that more could still be done to assist needy students.

The Education Ministry announced it would increase financial and other assistance schemes for students - including providing free uniforms and higher bursary amounts.

But Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong, one of those who spoke on financial help yesterday, suggested the ministry relook the eligibility criteria for the financial assistance scheme to have one that is based on per capita household income.

'The current criterion does not differentiate between families with three children, and families with six children and two elderly, retired parents,' he said.

Another scheme to provide all schools with a one-off $10,000 grant to help needy students was welcomed by Mr Siew. But he said that richer brand-name schools with strong alumni networks would probably not need this top-up.

The ministry should also channel more money that can be used for discretionary assistance to schools with little or no reserve funds. This is especially if the schools have more needy students enrolled. He also suggested that the funding be a recurrent, rather than a one-off, payment.

Dr Amy Khor (Hong Kah GRC), in welcoming the extra assistance, said she saw a sizeable number of families seeking financial assistance for their children at her Meet-the-People sessions: 'With the recession expected to deepen further, even the more than doubling of the budget now for financial aid programmes may prove inadequate.'

She said some needy students may get proportionately more help than others, while others could fall through the cracks as there is no designated agency to act as coordinator for the many help agencies.

She suggested that schools act as the central coordinating body to identify students and channel assistance. And if they need more help, community organisations can then be approached.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Education) Masagos Zulkifli said that with the ministry spending $5.4million to support school-based financial aid schemes, schools would have more flexibility and be in a better position to decide on the eligibility criteria and type of assistance:

'With items like uniforms now covered under the enhancements to the ministry's financial assistance scheme, schools can provide more discretionary assistance to their students, for example, meal and transport allowances.'

He also said the ministry would look at how the one-time payout to schools is spent and review the need to provide an additional grant if required.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.