Kuala Lumpur: In a significant decision to boost education in Tamilnadu, the Malaysian government has okayed a proposal to spend 41.5 million ringgit ($13 million) for the purpose of upgrading 40 Tamil schools in the country.

"Thirty-one projects involve constructing additional buildings for schools while the rest involve upgrading," Malaysian Works Minister Mohamad Zin Mohamed was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper on Thursday.

Under the proposed funding, forty government-aided Tamil schools throughout the country will be refurbished and upgraded at a total cost of RM41.5 million, informed Malaysian Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed.

He said the projects would be implemented under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP). The projects will begin in July

The minister added that out of the total 41.5, RM30 million would be allocated by the Finance Ministry while RM11.5 million would come from the Education Ministry.

Thirty-one of the projects involved the construction of an additional block while the rest were upgrading projects, the minister further added.

"The tender for the projects, which are being carried out by the Malaysian Works Ministry, will be issued by next month at the latest while works on these projects would begin in July this year," the minister said.