Works minister: Repairing Sarawak’s run-down schools will happen, but subject to availability of funds

KUCHING, Feb 21 ― Putrajaya is committed to fixing dilapidated schools, many of which are in Sarawak, federal Works Minister Baru Bian asserted today.

However, he emphasised that repairs were subject to the availability of funds.

“Again, it is subject to the availability of funds,” he told reporters after handing over letters of appointment to 17 Pakatan Harapan grassroots leaders to be parliamentary coordinators here.

Baru, who is also assemblyman for Ba’Kelalan, said he has been raising issues concerning dilapidated schools in the Sarawak State Assembly since he was elected in 2011.

“The point here is this we know for a fact that the federal government at this point of time is trying our level best to take care of dilapidated schools and they will be implemented,” he said.

“But for now, as far as I am aware, at the Cabinet, we were very concerned with the situation in Sarawak,” he said, adding that the implementation must be done within the reason time on projects that need to be implemented.

Baru said he had no information when asked to respond to federal Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s statement yesterday on postponing a tender to fix 16 dilapidated schools to enable the Education Ministry and the Sarawak Public Works Department to review the scope and cost of the projects.

Lim also suggested the tender postponement could be due to a proposal to close and merge several primary schools and open a new school, which did not gain the approval of his own ministry nor the Works Ministry.

According to Lim, the idea to centralise schools was not approved due to fears it would increase the dropout rate as students would be burdened with higher transport costs to cover the further distance.

Baru, who is also Selangau MP, said he disagreed with merging schools unless it is necessary.

“It is based on personal experience and the facts and truths of the matter. I think that is the fact of the case in Sarawak,” he added.

He said he has his personal experience in his primary school days, adding that he comes from a village in Ba’Kelalan and understands the challenges faced by schools located deep in the interior.

“Therefore, if you have to merge them together, there will be a big problem for young children,” he said, adding that these children, at a tender age, will be on their own in boarding schools and away from their parents to take care of them.

“The other is the travelling time to their places. That is the reason for me and as a person that comes from Sarawak, I understand the situation,” he said, adding that rural schools with low enrolment should be maintained.

He added parents of these affected children must be consulted first before the merger of the low enrolment schools is carried out.

State Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin has claimed that only one centralised school proposal was submitted among the 37 schools to be repaired and rebuilt using the first tranche of RM350 million under a contra deal between the state and federal governments.

Borneo Post reported Manyin disagreeing with the reason given by Lim and noting that former federal education minister Maszlee Malik and the previous Barisan Nasional government had supported Sarawak’s suggestion to build centralised schools by merging and closing down schools which hadlow enrolment of students.

Manyin, a former senior secondary school principal, believed that centralised schools would lead to improvement of academic results, reduce costs and also reduce truancy.

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