GETTING FIRST HAND INFORMATION: Dr Puad (third right) together with Entulu (fifth right), Sikie (third left) and others walk on the ‘belian’ walkway that links buildings at SK Saint Mark on their arrival at the school.
SELANGAU: Parents and teachers of SK Saint Mark here can breathe a sigh of relief now that the school’s relocation plan is very close to implementation.
Built in 1955, SK Saint Mark is located in a flood-prone area, its headmaster Salih Lidam said.
“Flood hits the school three times a year, and this has affected the school buildings which are wooden structures.
“Student hostels, teacher quarters and classroom buildings are deteriorating and in critical condition,” he said in his speech to welcome Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi to the school on Monday.
RICKETY: A woman carries her child along the ‘belian’ walkway. In the background at right is SK Saint Mark’s administration office and the building at left is the boys’ hostel.
STATUS CHANGE: Dr Puad (seated left) discusses with Hii (standing right) as Sikie (seated right) looks on.
DETERIORATING: The teachers’ quarters at SK Saint Mark.
According to Salih, the school management board in January this year decided that an allocation of RM2 million was needed to repair the buildings.
He said being a missionary school and categorised as government-aided, it was difficult for SK Saint Mark to request for the amount from the government.
As a solution, Dr Puad said the school must change its status from government-aided to a full government school.
According to him, it is the ministry’s policy that government-aided schools wanting to relocate need to have their status changed.
He said for SK Saint Mark, status change was the best solution as it would speed up the relocation of the school
and construction of new buildings.
He added that the change of status must be agreed by parents, management board and parent-teacher association (PTA) of the school.
“I have received letters from Selangau elected people’s representative, parents and PTA saying they have agreed to change its status.
“I would instruct Sarawak Education Department to discuss with Selangau Education Office to follow up on the matter,” he said.
As the school management board had verbally agreed to the change of status, they must submit a letter of consent on the matter to the ministry, he advised.
Dr Puad said he would try to get the status change approved by next year.
“It will take some time because it is a budget and land matter.
“Anyway, the ministry already has this in its Third Rolling Plan list of the 10th Malaysia Plan,” he said.
On a similar matter, he said pupils boarding at the school would get new mattresses and pillows soon.
He also announced an allocation of RM250,000 to the school for the repair of its student hostels, teachers’ quarters and classroom ceilings.
He was accompanied by Selangau MP Datuk Joseph Entulu and Kakus assemblyman Datuk John Sikie Tayai at the visit.
Earlier, Dr Puad discussed SK Saint Mark’s change of status with Right Reverend Bishop Joseph Hii, who is Sibu Missionary Schools Management Board chairman.