Thousands of households and children receive financial and education support before 2026 school year
As the year draws to a close, targeted financial support is providing relief to thousands of low-income Muslim families in Singapore, easing year-end pressures while ensuring children are prepared for the new school term.
Year-End Financial Relief for Vulnerable Households
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) has disbursed a total of $4.3 million in special Year-End Disbursement assistance to more than 6,000 low-income households. Announced on Dec 22, each eligible household received about $300, in addition to their regular monthly zakat financial assistance.
Distributed Since 2012
Introduced in 2012, the year-end payout is designed to help families cope with accumulated bills, outstanding payments, and loans that often peak toward the end of the year. The assistance continues to be a core pillar of MUIS’s zakat support framework, offering timely relief during a financially demanding period.
Continued Support for Children’s Education
Beyond household assistance, MUIS has allocated about $1.3 million under the Reqab assistance scheme to support the educational needs of children from zakat beneficiary families. The scheme provides $150 per child to help cover essential school-related expenses such as uniforms, books, and basic supplies.
In total, around 8,600 children and teenagers aged 18 and below are expected to benefit from Reqab assistance in 2025. This support ensures that students from low-income households can begin the new school year on more equal footing with their peers.
Combined Impact on Families
With the combined assistance schemes, a family of five with three school-going children that qualifies for zakat, the year-end payout, and Reqab assistance would receive a total of $1,350. This includes monthly financial aid for December, the year-end disbursement equivalent to two months of assistance, and education support for each child.
Eligible beneficiaries began receiving the year-end zakat assistance through GIRO from Dec 12 and will continue to do so until the end of December 2025, ensuring funds are made available ahead of the new academic year.
Strengthening Community Resilience
Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, emphasized the importance of sustained community support. He noted that the assistance helps ease immediate financial pressures while giving children a strong start to the school year.
He added that investing in education strengthens long-term community resilience and thanked MUIS for its continued dedication to serving and uplifting vulnerable families. Earlier in 2025, MUIS had also distributed nearly $3.1 million in zakat funds to 8,200 beneficiaries during its annual Ramadan disbursement.
The year-end zakat disbursement reflects a broader commitment to social stability and inclusive growth, ensuring vulnerable families are not left behind during critical periods. By addressing both short-term financial stress and long-term educational needs, the initiative reinforces shared values of care, resilience, and collective responsibility for communities in Singapore and the wider region.
Sources: Straits Times (2025) , MUIS GOV SG (2025)
Keywords: Zakat Disbursement, MUIS Assistance, Low Income Households, Reqab Scheme, Muslim Community Singapore
