School building project needs RM2 mln more

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DR CHOU CHII MING

KUCHING: The Board of Management for Kuching Chung Hua Primary School (CHPS) No.1 to 6 still needs RM2 million to complete a new school block and facilities for CHPS No.1.

Board chairman Dr Chou Chii Ming said the expansion project was expected to commence next month and was scheduled for completion in 18 months.

“Up to now, response from members of the public is good, albeit we still need RM2 million to meet the total project cost of RM5.1 million.

“With this new school block of 23 classrooms, two computer rooms and four rooms for other purposes as well as facilities like a hall, CHPS No.1 will have no problem taking in more new students for the next 10 years,” he said when contacted here yesterday.

Chou, who is president of the Federation of Kuching-Samarahan Chinese Associations, pointed out that the board was devoted to ensuring that the rising number of students would not burden school facilities.

“Once the expansion project is completed, CHPS No.1 will be able to run 36 classes at any one time, doubling the current number of classes.

“Parents who prefer to send their children to CHPS No.4 can consider CHPS No.1 as the schools are situated next to each other.

“For the time being, CHPS No.4 runs ‘full steam’ with 36 classrooms. There is no more land there to build a new school block or other facilities,” he said.

CHPS No.1 and CHPS No.4 are located at Lorong Park-Jalan Tabuan and Jalan Nanas respectively. The former has now 795 pupils.

On meeting the project fund, Chou said the federal government had pledged RM2 million in aid of the expansion project.

He was quick to add that the board would attempt to bid for more allocation from the Education Ministry.

While the board is concerned about the shortage of RM2 million, he said similar agenda would follow as soon as the State Planning Authority (SPA) and Land and Survey Department (LSD) had approved the design for a new block for CHPS No.2.

The design for an additional block for the school in Stutong Baru here was submitted to the relevant authorities in April this year, he added.

He said the board expected an approval letter from the SPA in a couple of months.

The new block for CHPS No.2, which would include several classrooms, a science lab and a hall, was estimated to cost about RM4 million, he added.

“There are over 10,000 households in the vicinity including Tabuan Jaya. And, with the rising population there, we figure the intake will increase from 300 to 500 pupils each year by 2015.

“The school has 22 classrooms for 843 pupils. Even if the expansion project is completed by 2015, we worry that it will not be enough to meet the soaring needs,” quipped Chou.

Although there are three Chinese primary schools – namely SJK Chung Hua Jernang, SJK Chung Hua Stampin and CHPS No.2 in the area, he said most parents preferred to send their children to CHPS No.2.

He thus feared that even an extra block for CHPS No.2 might not be able to house the growing number of students.

“When that happens, we will offer afternoon classes as a last resort. But for now, we need a new block and see how things develop from there in future.”

He was optimistic that the board would be able to start raising fund for the new block for CHPS No.2 by end of this year.

“In fact, we have already written to the Prime Minister’s Department to seek federal allocation for the new block. In the meantime, we are waiting for a nod from SPA and LSD,” he said.

He added that the board had to plan ahead to address the shortage of classrooms and other facilities in order to provide a conducive learning environment.