Chief Minister: No other way but use state funds for dilapidated schools
THE lack of funds allocated by the new federal government for dilapidated schools in Sarawak has forced the Sarawak government to step in and allocate its own funds under the 2019 State Budget for this purpose, even though education is responsibility of the federal government.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said a sum of RM81.7 million is proposed under the 2019 Sarawak Budget to be allocated to rebuild, repair and upgrade the dilapidated schools, including providing water and electricity supply.
He pointed out that it is disheartening to see Sarawak’s children, who have long been suffering from such poor quality conditions, being forced to study in such inferior learning environment compared with their peers in other parts of Malaysia.
As such, he explained that the Sarawak government had to step in to facilitate the development of schools in Sarawak using state fund, and would continue to do so next year.
He also disclosed that the federal government, through the Ministry of Finance, had also not replied to Sarawak’s offer of RM1 billion made in July to repair these dilapidated schools.
“There are a total of 1,020 dilapidated schools in the state, of which 415 are considered critically dilapidated.
“Education is a subject under the purview and responsibility of the federal government as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, but the current state of schools particularly those in the rural schools requires our immediate attention.
“In fact, the previous federal government had in its 2018 Budget approved RM1- billion special allocation for the repairs and upgrading of the dilapidated schools. The new federal government ought to fulfil this obligation by providing the fund as approved. In fact, the amount is hardly sufficient.
“We need much more than RM1 billion to repair, replace and rebuild all the critically dilapidated schools in the state. Unfortunately, the 2019 Federal Budget did not indicate any allocation for dilapidated schools in Sarawak,” he said when tabling the 2019 Sarawak Budget.
Meanwhile Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong, in his immediate response, said the amount allocated under the Sarawak budget is to complement and supplement what the federal government is giving to schools in Sarawak.
He said it is not fair to expect the Sarawak government to keep on giving money for this purpose due to the fact that education is under the federal government’s purview and responsibility.
Since they are also paying taxes to the federal government, Manyin pointed out that the people of Sarawak are expecting the federal government to allocate substantial amount to the state.
“The state, through the Rural Transformation Initiative, is also giving RM17 million for the repairs and upgrading of schools. The Chief Minister’s walkabout projects also include building two primary schools in Maludam and Bintulu, with ceiling costs of RM100 million. These are all state funds.
“We in this ministry also organise English symposiums, headmasters’ conference, inservice training for headmasters and training the trainers for teachers teaching science, mathematics and English. All these are through state funds.
“But since education matters are under federal, the federal government should honour its responsibility to Sarawak,” he said.
Although the Ministry of Education, under the previous government, had issued contracts to repair 116 schools in February this year worth RM419 million, Manyin said 904 schools still remain dilapidated and are in need of repairs.
“Based on what was announced in the 2019 Federal Budget, only RM100 million is allocated for dilapidated schools throughout the country. So, if we ( Sarawak) are given RM20 million to RM30 million out of it, that ( amount) can repair only several number of schools – the other schools would remain dilapidated,” he said.
Manyin also said the state cabinet had recently approved a sum of RM59 million to connect schools with electricity and treated water, but this could not proceed yet because written consent was not given by the federal Ministry of Education.
Sarawak still has 371 schools dependent on generator sets for electricity supply, and 428 schools are without treated water supply.