Balingian school project yet to take off
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid has said that the fund is available and he wants to perform the earth-breaking ceremony. As the Balingian assemblyman, I am not impressed with the progress of SMK Balingian (project), which is too slow.
SIBU: The proposed SMK Balingian project – a by- election promise made in 2014 – is yet to take off and the local residents are growing impatient.
In this regard, Balingian assemblyman Abdul Yakub Arbi said he had highlighted the matter to the Education Ministry.
“Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid has said that the fund is available and he wants to perform the earthbreaking ceremony. As the Balingian assemblyman, I am not impressed with the progress of SMK Balingian (project), which is too slow.
“My people have been questioning the works progress of the school and are now assuming the YB (elected representative) of the area and the government of the day as not serious in tackling this issue.
“The project has been highlighted ever since (it was announced during the Balingian by- election) but so far, nothing concrete has been seen. It is my fervent wish that the authorities concerned would take firm action to implement the project the soonest,” Abdul Yakub said yesterday when asked to comment about the proposed school project.
Then- deputy premier and former education minister Tan
— Abdul Yakub Arbi, Balingian assemblyman
Sri Muhyiddin Yassin made a promise during the 2014 Balingian by- election, that SMK Balingian would be built.
Muhyiddin was quoted as having announced the approval of RM60 million for the building of a new 24- classroom secondary school, which should be able to accommodate 800 students from the Balingian Sub-District.
In April 2016 during a gathering at Kampung Masjid, the media reported Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying that works on the proposed SMK Balingian would commence soon.
He was also quoted as saying that a piece of land had been identified for the site and the building plan was being drawn up.
Balingian has many primary schools, but not a secondary school.
Hence, the setting up of a secondary school has been proposed as the ‘ receiving’ school for the children who have completed primary school.
“Otherwise, parents are compelled to send the children either to SMK Three Rivers or SMK St Patrick (in Mukah) about 60km away, to continue their secondary education. Those in the lower-income group would be burdened by the transportation cost. Therefore, it is crucial for this proposed secondary school to become a reality,” he said.
In this regard, Abdul Yakub assured the people that he would work closely with Mukah District Education Office to ensure that there would be no dropout among the pupils after finishing their primary education.