KUCHING: The RM3 million grant from the state government is a dream come true for Sarawak’s 14 Chinese independent schools.
At present the schools are said to experience a shortfall of about RM10 million annually.
“In April, the board of management organised themselves and met the Chief Minister (Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem). They told the Chief Minister some of the operational problems, particularly financial problems faced by some of the schools,” said Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
“They have been trying to be self-sufficient all these years but there is a deficit every year so that has to come from the Chinese community. So they appealed to the Chief Minister for help and today (yesterday) he agreed to give RM3 million to start with.”
Wong said he hoped the state government would provide annual grants to Chinese independent schools in the state.
Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary School Management Board chairman Temenggong Vincent Lau called the grant historic.
“It is not a small amount, although the Chief Minister said it is. To us, it is quite a substantial amount of RM3 million, and this will definitely be very helpful to all Chinese independent schools in Sarawak,” he said after a meeting between Adenan and the Chinese School Association yesterday.
Lau said he is confident Adenan would sympathetically look into the case of Chinese independent schools and also hoped the state government would give the grants annually.
Kuching Chung Hua Middle School No. 1, 3 and 4 management committee chairman Richard Wee said Adenan created many firsts yesterday.
“It was the first time the Chief Minister has met with Chinese education representatives, first time he visits a Chinese independent school, and first time ever he has given financial grants (to the Chinese independent schools).”
Wee said Adenan had indeed created a legacy for himself and the Chinese community would never forget what he has done for them.
He pointed out that the funds would go to the yearly operations costs of five Chinese independent schools here and in Sibu, two in Miri and one each in Bintulu and Sarikei, which have never received government aid.
“We will have a formula to distribute the funds so that nobody will be left out. There will be a minimum amount given to each school and the balance of it will be given based on the population of the students,” he explained.