Upgrading of rural schools infrastructure tops Manyin’s list of priorities
KUCHING: Upgrading of infrastructure in rural schools will top the priority list of newly appointed Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong.
He said this is in line with the wishes of Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg to see the younger generation study in better schools.
He disclosed there are over 160 schools in Sarawak which are still in dilapidated condition, depriving the students of an environment conducive for learning.
“The Chief Minister has already said that we would focus on the infrastructure, and to see how much is required. We may have to get funds from our own bank – Development Bank of Sarawak ( DBOS), then after that we will pass the bill to Kuala Lumpur (the federal government).
“But before we do that, I have to, of course, discuss with Kuala Lumpur, to meet up with the Education Minister, and also MoF ( Ministry of Finance) on what will be the best way to go about it.
“If we want to make our boys and girls (the younger generation) to be playing on the same level field as others, we need to improve the infrastructure of our schools. We can’t expect them to perform if they (schools) are in dilapidated condition; they don’t even have proper chairs and tables and all these. So, that is the first thing we want to do,” he said when met by reporters after the opening of the 18th State Legislative Assembly ( DUN) sitting at the DUN Complex here yesterday.
Manyin was appointed to head the newly created Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research following a major cabinet reshuffle announced by Abang Johari last Saturday.
Also in Manyin’s list of priorities as the minister in charge of education in Sarawak is to convince the federal government to build centralised schools to counter the problems faced in Sekolah Kurang Murid (SKM) or low enrolment schools.
Manyin said the many low enrolment schools, particularly in rural areas, do not contribute towards the improvement of students’ academic performance.
He lamented that specialists teachers in these schools do not teach their specialty subjects but are asked to teach other subjects which they do not specialise in, such as teachers specialising in English were asked to teach Mathematics and teachers not specialised in Science were asked to teach the subject.
“The centralised schools must have boarding facilities ( for students from far away). If we can have boarding facilities for primary schools in rural areas, I believe we will be able to at least improve the performances of rural schools because one, they have better facilities and two, they have the benefit of specialised teachers,” he said.
He also said immediate discussions with Kuala Lumpur must be held because Sarawak cannot afford to keep waiting anymore.
“How long are we going to wait? Our children will suffer, they have been suffering for so many years. That’s why when you see the results ( of public examinations), most of them with good results are in urban schools but not in the rural schools. This is because they are not playing on the same level field,” he said.
He nonetheless acknowledged the task will be challenging because education is a federal matter, unlike the other ministerial portfolios.
“It’s going to be challenging. Not only that, but it can be sensitive. So, we have to be very careful on what we are doing.”