MIRI: Sarawak is hoping to get a bigger allocation to improve education infrastructures, especially for repair of dilapidated schools in the state, under the 2019 Budget to be tabled in Parliament this Friday. Sarawak Education, Science and Technology Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong said with education under the purview of the federal government, it should give priority to repair of dilapidated schools, relocation of flood prone schools and building or upgrading of centralised schools to replace under enrolled schools in the state.
“Hopefully in Budget 2019 some of these money will be given to Sarawak to repair dilapidated schools, as well as centralised schools,” he told reporters after the presentation of state government assistance to schools affected by floods here yesterday. Manyin said there were currently 1,020 dilapidated schools in the state, with 415 of the schools being categorised as critically dilapidated. Beside dilapidated schools, he said, efforts should also be made to solve the problems of 651 under enrolled schools in state.
Earlier in his speech, Manyin said the state government would replace furniture and ICT equipment that were damaged by the floods in 53 schools, involving a cost of RM2 million and RM1 million, respectively. “The overall value of assistance to schools affected by floods throughout Sarawak in 2018 is approximately RM4 million,” he said.
At the event, Manyin also handed over the state government’s assistance of RM522,300 in non-Information Communication and Technology (ICT) equipment to representatives from 10 schools in Miri, Limbang, Tatau and Sebauh that were affected by the floods this year. – Bernama
