Federation hopes for bigger allocation for aided Chinese schools

KUCHING: The Federation of Boards of Management of Aided Chinese Primary Schools Sarawak hopes Putrajaya will provide bigger financial allocation to aided schools in the state.

Its secretary general Jonathan Chai expressed this wish when prompted for comments on the statement by Deputy Education Minister Datuk Chong Sin Woon that RM65 million would be doled out to national type secondary schools and aided Chinese primary schools nationwide by early next month.

Chai said many aided schools in Sarawak had been waiting for the federal government to release the funds, which were announced in Budget 2017. He said the funds ought to be given out earlier rather than next month because some schools were already carrying out their respective development projects.

“That’s the good news we have been waiting for even though it’s slightly late. A lot of schools have been enquiring on the time when the funds will be released so that they can utilise the money for their ongoing upgrading and extension projects.

“Ideally, the funds should be released to the beneficiary schools within the first half of the year since it has already been announced in Budget 2017.

“The aided Chinese primary schools in Sarawak received a total of RM9.04 million last year. Of the amount, RM2.99 million was given to 54 schools in Kuching, Serian and Samarahan divisions.

“We hope that greater allocation could be set aside for the schools in Sarawak this year as many schools in rural and coastal areas are in dire need of repair and the resources from the community in those areas are very limited,” pointed out Chai.

To a question, he said the federation could not keep track of the total figure that schools in the state had requested to implement their respective projects.

This was because most schools submitted their requests to the Malaysian Chinese Association ( MCA) through the Internet, he said. According to him, the MCA has been entrusted to process all applications. He also said some schools had sent their requests through the local elected representatives.

“It is hoped that our prime minister would bring good tidings by making bigger allocation for aided Chinese primary schools when he announces Budget 2018 this Friday (today),” said Chai.

On Wednesday, Chong was quoted by a national Chinese daily as saying that the ministry had received a warrant from the Ministry of Finance for the release of RM50 million to aided Chinese primary schools and RM15 million to national type secondary schools. He told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur that it would take between a week and two weeks to dole out all the funds.