Since 2017, a total of RM1.855 billion has been allocated to repair dilapidated schools across Sarawak, stated Assistant Minister for Education, Science and Technological Research YB Dr Haji Annuar Rapaee.
Of this, RM517 million comes from the Federal Government, RM338 million from the State Government and the remaining RM1 billion is a contra loan payment from the State Government to the Federal Government.
“This clearly shows that the Federal Government needs to have an important focus on repairing dilapidated schools in Sarawak,” said Dr Haji Annuar in response to follow-up questions by Daro assemblyman YB Encik Safiee Haji Ahmad during the question-and-answer session at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on 12 November 2020.
Relatively, Dr Haji Annuar noted that out of the 1,020 dilapidated schools that had been identified for repair works, 433 of them were completed, while 587 were to be fully repaired or rebuilt within the next two to three years.
He also expected a more comprehensive solution concerning dilapidated schools in the State, following the Federal Government’s allocation of RM725 million for repairs of these schools in both Sarawak and Sabah under the recently announced 2021 Budget.
Regarding the state of dilapidated schools in Daro constituency, four schools have been repaired at a cost of over RM10 million since 2018, namely SK Ulu Daro, SK Kampung Pangtray, SK Nangar and SK Kampung Penasu.
In the near future, one school in the constituency – SK Tebaang – will be repaired under Phase Two of the aforementioned RM1 billion contra loan payment.
In addition, there are nine ‘Sekolah Kurang Murid’ (SKM) or under-enrolled schools in the same area, of which eight are dilapidated. SKM is defined as a school that has less than 150 students.
Dr Haji Annuar said that it is the State Government’s priority to merge dilapidated schools in order to improve school facilities and teaching manpower, as well as encourage competitiveness among students when they can be grouped up to more than 300.
“However, this issue is not as easy as we say. It requires the consent of the students’ parents before one of these schools can be closed in order to merge into a larger school,” he added.
