BY NATASHA JEE & SHAH AHMED FAROUQ
SERIAN: SMK Tebakang boarders will have new dormitory blocks built for them to replace the present four dilapidated ones.
Deputy Finance Minister II Mohd Shahar Abdullah said the project which cost RM3 million would be tendered out soon.
“The rebuilding works will take a period of eight months and once completed it will benefit about 200 students,” he said in a press conference after visiting the school compound on Saturday (July 11).
Shahar then said there are many categories for the dilapidated schools. First, it involves the entire school. But for SMK Tebakang, it only involves the school dormitories.
“After listening to the briefing from the Works Ministry, I am satisfied as they carefully plan out and have identified to increase the dormitory capacity from 150 to 200 students.
“I also want to thank the Public Works Department (PWD) Sarawak for understanding the needs of the Education Department,” he said.
What is important is that the new dormitory will be able to benefit the students particularly from the rural areas, he added.
The rebuilding of the school boarding facilities will involve three female dormitories and one male dormitory.
Currently, the school has 1,340 students. Of this total, 923 students are boarders at the nine dormitories (six female and three male dormitories) in the school compound.
SMK Tebakang, located in Serian which is 78km from Kuching was established in 1974, and presently has 86 teachers.
Earlier, Shahar had spent two hours at the school to see for himself on the dilapidated dormitories and later had a briefing with the school management and PWD Sarawak.
