Cutting MoE red tape on projects
Education dept can now approve RTP, MRP projects funded by Sarawak govt without ministry green light
… authority is also given… for other projects not funded by the state government but with prior concurrence by the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development. Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn
The state Education Department has been given the authority to approve projects under the Rural Transformation Project (RTP), Minor Rural Project (MRP) and other small-scale projects which are directly funded by the Sarawak government.
Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn when contacted said this is a step forward to education autonomy.
He said the move is to shorten the bureaucratic process for the implementation of projects as prior to the agreement, the authority to approve projects – even though funded by the state government – lay with the Ministry of Education (MoE) in Putrajaya.
“Besides projects which are funded by the state government, authority is also given to the director for other projects not funded by the state government but with prior concurrence by the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD),” he told The Borneo Post.
The document to delegate the authority was presented to state Education Department director Datu Dr Azhar Ahmad by MoE secretary general Datuk Indera Nik Nasarudin Zawawi here yesterday, witnessed by Sagah, his deputy minister Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee, and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
Sagah also informed that in their deliberation, MEITD had requested for more funds for dilapidated schools in the state.
“Dilapidated schools are an entirely different issue as it involves funding and implementation ma ers. As you are aware, projects below RM50 million are implemented by our own state agency,” he said.
He added that funding for dilapidated schools is subject to approval in the national budget which is under the purview of the Ministry of Finance, whereby submissions for funds will be made by the MoE.
Meanwhile, MEITD in a statement said prior to the delegation of authority, MRP, RTP and other minor projects approved by the state elected representatives required the green light from the MoE.
This, it said, had caused much disappointment not only to elected representatives but also to the beneficiaries of the projects, especially students, parents and teachers.
“Sarawak elected representatives are very wellknown to have provided assistance through their annual RTP and MRP allocations to schools and other educational institutions,” it added.
It said the delegation of authority is seen as a major step forward by MoE as a result of several discussions between MEITD and MoE on the subject of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), particularly Paragraph 17 of the Inter-Governmental Commi ee (IGC) Report 1962.
The statement also mentioned that Fadhlina was here to cochair a Joint Action Commi ee for Education Development with Sagah.