Yunus (fourth right) and Manyin (third right) at the ribbon cutting for SK St Dominic Pichin new block.
SERIAN: The construction of a new school, SK Sri Sadong in Serian is not intended to replace SK St Teresa, said Serian district education officer Yunus Apok.
He explained that the new school would be built to accommodate the growing pupil population in Serian Division apart from taking in pupils from SK St Teresa which had to be closed soon following the decision by Kuching Roman Catholic Mission.
He pointed out that for the time being, SK St Teresa Serian would continue to operate for the next few years until SK Sri Sadong is completed and ready.
He also revealed that tender for the construction of the SK Sri Sadong would be out in June or July and the school was expected to be completed in 2018 the soonest.
He, however, could not disclose the exact cost of construction off-hand, although he mentioned the new school would be built on a 16-acre site and would cater for up to 800 pupils.
“SK St Teresa cannot be closed yet. We still need the school until SK Sri Sadong is ready,” he told reporters when met after the opening of a two-storey block for SK St Dominic in Pichin near here on Friday evening.
Yunus also mentioned that since SK St Teresa belonged to the Roman Catholic Mission, it would be up to the Mission to decide on the future of this school.
“The State Education Department is aware of the growing population in Serian. Therefore, the Department had applied to build a bigger school to take in pupils including from SK St Teresa.
“SK Sri Sadong, which we hope to be completed in 2018, is not replacing SK St Teresa. It is a new school by itself,” he said.
Meanwhile, Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin said compensation has already been paid to the landowners affected by the construction of the new school.
On SK St Teresa Serian, he said the school structures were already certified ‘unsafe’ by Public Works Department (JKR) and the previous archbishop Datuk Peter Chung had written to the Education Department requesting the school to be closed in December 2005.
He also touched on criticisms by some people in the social media on the closure of SK St Teresa Serian, saying this was done by those who did not know the facts and background.
“I had met the Archbishop Dato John Ha recently. The Mission want to take back the land, and they are applying for a licence to run a private school there.Of course, some parties want the school to be retained, but the Archbishop said a decision has already been made,” he said.
It was recently reported that the construction of a new private school has been proposed in the hope that it would carry the legacy of the present SK St Teresa in Serian with a history of over 80 years.
The deteriorating condition of the wooden buildings in SK St Teresa, situated next to St Theresa’s Church in Serian, have been highlighted to the Education Department through several correspondences by the Mission.
The structures were deemed ‘unsafe’ by JKR in 2005, although minor renovations, maintenance and repair works had been carried out since then.
“For the safety of the students and teachers, these buildings will eventually be demolished,” said Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuching, Dato John Ha in the news report.
Ha had also said the Catholic community of St Theresa’s Parish had been expanding over the years and was in need of meeting rooms and classes for their Sunday School.
“Currently, the parish is planning to put up a Pastoral Centre on a section of land where the school presently stands,” added Archbishop Ha.