SERIAN: The state government has no problem paying the federal government RM350 million.
“Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Tun Openg has agreed to pay and we have finalised everything. Our officers have met with officers from the Finance Ministry and Education Ministry, and the state government probably will disburse the RM350 million this year,” said Education, Science and Technological Research Datuk Seri Michael Manyin (pic).
Manyin stressed that there is no disagreement over the RM350 million as stated by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Lim had said that the federal government was ready to disburse RM350 million to the Sarawak government to repair dilapidated schools in the state, but only after the latter pays back the same amount first.
“What we have agreed on, we will fulfil. The state government does not u-turn on its undertaking,” the Tebedu assemblyman said when officiating at the School Uniform Aid at SMK Tebedu here yesterday.
Manyin, however, was not too happy that only two schools so far are amendable to the idea of having centralised schools.
“These schools are in Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Unggah’s Bukit Saban constituency, but I have not been given the name of these schools.
“Our priority will be on merging the two schools with one other school, meaning some of the RM350 million will be spent on these three schools.
“There is no point to repair schools with only five or 10 pupils.”
Meanwhile, deputy director of Yayasan Sarawak, Ellen Manium Engang said to date, Yayasan Sarawak had distributed more than 400,000 school aid vouchers to students since the programme was launched in 2000.
“We at Yayasan Sarawak are very thankful to the state government for increasing the budget allocation for the initiative to RM4 million starting 2017,” he said.
In 2000, Yayasan Sarawak only came out with a budget of RM2 million to help the students buy school uniforms.
Ellen added that this year 19,000 vouchers will be distributed to schools in the state through the initiative and Serian district alone will receive 1,300 vouchers.
Twenty-six schools received the aid vouchers namely SMK Taee, SMK Tebedu, SK Tepoi, SK Tebakang, SK Tebedu, SK Krusen, SK Tesu, SK Reteh, SK Sungai Sameran, SK Parun Suan, SK Temong, SK Lobang Batu, SK Payau, SK Daha, SK Gahat Mawang, SK Kujang Sain, SK Entubuh, SK Sungan, SK Kujang Mawang, SK St. Dominic Pichin, SK St. John Taee, SK St. Matthew Lanchang, SK All Saint Plaman Nyabet, SK Mawang Taup, SK Sijijag and SK Tema.
The vouchers which they can use to buy school uniform can be redeemed at any outlet that displays notice it accepts them.
Also present at the event was Serian Resident Johnathan Lugoh.
