Committee chief applauds scrapping of funding condition for Chinese school projects
KOTA KINABALU: The chairman of Sabah Chinese Primary School Working Committee, Datuk William Chu yesterday concurred with the Minister of Special Tasks Datuk Teo Chee Kang’s statement that scrapping the condition requiring schools to raise at least 80 per cent of the funds for their construction projects before applying for the Education Ministry’s approval to start the projects would be beneficial for the development of Chinese schools.
Chu, who is also Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Supreme Council member cum Education Bureau chief, expressed his gratitude to Teo for the latter’s commitment and concern for Chinese schools.
He said Chinese schools often had difficulty in raising funds for their development projects because members of the public were more willing to donate after the construction commenced.
“Without sufficient funds, Chinese schools are not able to start the construction of their projects.
“This has become a vicious cycle whereby projects are delayed due to insufficient funds.
“The project delay subsequently hinders efforts to solicit public donations.”
Hence, Chu said the Federal Government’s announcement to scrap the rule would benefit schools that are partially subsidized by the government, especially Chinese primary schools.
With the approval letter from the Education Ministry, schools will be able to start their construction projects while raising funds at the same time.
“The Education Ministry’s approval letter will also enable schools to apply for taxexemption permit.”
Without the 80 per cent building fund requirement, Chu believed that Chinese schools could now begin the construction of their expansion projects as well as find it easier to solicit public donations.
“This certainly benefits the development of Chinese schools in Sabah.
“I hope the Education Ministry will also render their cooperation to school projects undertaken by the board of governors of Chinese primary schools. “
On behalf of the Sabah Chinese Primary School Working Committee, Chu thanked Teo for handing over a memorandum on the issue to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the LDP Congress last year.
He also thanked the Federal Government for reaching the decision to do away with the rule in such a short time.
Apart from public donations, Chu said Chinese primary schools in the Sabah were supported by annual allocation from the State Government.
“As such, most Chinese primary schools in Sabah do not have financial problems.
“The State Government also generously provides financial support when our Chinese schools require funds for expansion projects.”
For instance, Teo has recently announced that the State Government would disburse the annual allocation of RM32 million to Chinese schools, mission schools and non-Islamic religious bodies earlier this year.
“This will enable schools to plan ahead for the construction or maintenance projects to be carried out during the year-end holidays,” he said.