S’wak CM pledges to assist mission schools

BETONG: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday pledged to give his full commitment to assist mission schools in Sarawak.

“I got no problem on mission schools, you just tell me how much. We will try to help our mission schools,” he stressed.

Speaking at the opening of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Zone 5 Triennial General Meeting here yesterday, Abang Johari said he would become agitated whenever speaking about schools.

“The reason being many of our schools are in very bad condition. In fact, almost 1,000 schools in Sarawak are in bad shape. I have told PM that I will repair all these schools using our own money but the federal government must pay back,” he said.

Abang Johari said he had told Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak that he would allocate RM1 billion and cannot wait for fund from the federal government.

“I told the Prime Minister that we cannot wait because the schools are very bad, the quarters of the teachers are very bad too. I told him use our money first. We borrow from bank. In the end, PM agreed no need to use bank money. Federal government will give RM1 billion via the 2018 budget,” he explained.

Abang Johari was alluding to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas who spoke earlier requesting the government help to repair mission schools throughout Sarawak.

Uggah revealed that the RM1 billion approved by federal government does not cover mission schools, and therefore putting many mission schools especially those in rural areas in dilemma.

“Many rural mission schools are in very sorry state but they are not eligible to get help from the RM1 billion fund,” Uggah revealed.

He said rural mission schools play a very important role in the society and have produced many significant figures in Sarawak history.

“Betong produced the first Chief Minister, a product of mission school. In fact, our Chief Minister now is also a product of mission school. So, is myself and Datuk Patinggi Dr Alfred Jabu,” Uggah stressed.

Sarawak according to Uggah have about 128 mission schools with about 45,000 students – Betong alone have six mission primary schools and mission seven secondary schools.

“The condition of many of these schools is very bad. Even the chicken coups are better than the schools. There is help from federal government, but we need more. The Chief Minister managed to get RM1 billion help from federal government but sadly, the education department said mission schools are not eligible for the funding,” Uggah lamented.

He hoped the funds would be used to repair all remote schools especially those in Ulu Krian, Ulu Layar, Kabong and Simanggang.