RM1 bln for repairing schools
SANDAKAN: Sabah is grateful to the federal government for allocating RM1 billion in Budget 2018 to repair dilapidated schools in Sabah, said Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman.
“This is a ‘gift’ that was long awaited by the education personnel in Sabah. We are happy and grateful to the federal government for allocating such a huge amount to repair dilapidated schools here,” he said.
The allocation will be divided into two phases, in which the first phase will involve RM500 million in 2018 while the second phase will see another RM500 million used to fix and repair run-down schools in Sabah.
The repairing of run-down schools will use the IBS system to replace wooden school buildings. The first phase will involve 16 schools in Sandakan, six in Beluran, six in Telupid and three in Kinabatangan.
Musa also thanked the federal government for Bantuan Awal Persekolahan which gave RM100 per student. In Sabah, a total of 381,174 students received this assistance out of which 37,562 students are from Sandakan.
“RM38 million was allocated by the federal government for this (Bantuan Awal Persekolahan) in Sabah. This means a lot to the students. It also showed how serious and committed the government is in ensuring the students in the country continue to receive assistance and support from the government,” Musa said.
He said this during the Education Professionalism Talk and the presentation of the Bantuan Awal Persekolahan at Dewan Sri Libaran mile 7 here yesterday.
Musa also thanked the educators in Sabah for their contribution in educating children.
Earlier, State Education Department director Datuk Maimunah Suhaibul said that Sabah had shown improvement in academic performance where UPSR performance had increased from 51.82 percent in 2016 to 54.72 percent in 2017.
She said Sabah becoming the champion of Malaysia Sports Schools Council (MSSM) in April last year is also an incredible achievement since the last time that Sabah became champion of the national sports event was 41 years ago.
Meanwhile, Maimunah said that the National Registration Department is trying to achieve the targeted 90 percent teachers from Sabah in Sabah schools.
“As of January 15 this year, 87 percent of teachers in Sabah are Sabahans. We are sure that we will be able to meet the target of 90 percent by 2019,” she said.