THE Education Ministry (MOE) will pump in $67.5 million to help students and their families cope with the recession, the second time this year the Government has dished out help for families with school-going children.

A big chunk of the funds will go towards topping up the Edusave accounts of all Primary and Secondary students by $80 each, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said at a visit to the Nanyang Division in Hong Kong GRC on Sunday.

Where the money goes Primary school pupils will get $280 in Edusave this year, compared to $200 previously. Secondary school students will get $320 up from $240. Total cost: $45.6 million The value of Edusave awards or cash grants given to students who do well is increased by between $30 and $150. This brings the maximum value of an award to $650 and minimum value to $100. Total cost: $8.5 million ... more

This one-off top-up is the biggest since 2005, when $100 was added to each student's Edusave account.

The Government started the Edusave Scheme in 1993 to reward students who do well and to pay for enrichment programmes. The money in a student's Edusave account is used by the school to fund enrichment programmes like dance, so that parents do not have to pay as much for such activities. The sum left in the account after the student completes Secondary school can be used to pay for further studies in approved institutions.

MOE will also increase the Edusave grants for schools by $20 per student. This grant is to help schools organise enrichment programmes and pays for resources and equipment like computers.

Edusave awards, which are cash grants given to students who do well in school, will swell by between $30 and $150 more.

The latest moves by MOE to help families cope with the economic downturn follows a $23.4 million package announced in February which provided larger bursaries, free school uniforms and more transport allowance for needy students.

Dr Ng said his ministry decided to boost its financial help schemes for the second time this year in anticipation of the fall-out from a worsening recession.

The number of students needing financial aid this year has already surpassed last year's - 45,700 students so far compared to 44,900 for all of last year.

Dr Ng said: 'My concern is during this downturn, if indeed parents lose their job or earn less, we feel they may pull out of enrichment programmes, and we want to maintain this quality education that our children have...I'm putting more fat into the system so that they won't lose out on the opportunities.'

Read the full story in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.