Schools lose ‘repair’ funds due to PWD’s inefficiency
By FMT Staff
KOTA KINABALU: Three schools in the Sebatik constituency have lost out on RM1.5 million worth of upgrading and renovation works because the Public Works Department (PWD) did not deem it fit to expediate a report to the Education Ministry.
Slamming the PWD’s inefficiency, Sebatik assemblyman Abd Muis Picho said the ministry had approved the allocation for repairs for the three primary schools in his constituency.
“But the Education Ministry retracted the RM1.5 million allocation because PWD failed to submit the evaluation report on time,” he said.
Each of the three schools – SK Kukusan, SK Bahagia and SK Jembatan Putih – are deeply in need of repairs.
The Kukusan school canteen, according to Muis, is near collapse and was a constant threat to the 300 students.
In addition, he said all three schools were without certificates or development plans.
“We’ve brought these issue up with the education department but there’s been no action.
“More disappointing is their flippant comment that the development plans are missing,” he told the state legislative assembly recently.
Equal education
Meanwhile in Beaufort, students in rural and interior schools were told to abandon any notion that the state government “only gave them a second-class education”.
“There is no such thing as second-class education or even the marginalising of rural students. Equal education is the state government’s top priority,” said Lumada assemblyman Kamarlin Ombi.
