BNBBC Sarawak wants full autonomy in education

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KUCHING: Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) Sarawak is asking Putrajaya to expedite the handover of full autonomy in education to Sarawak.

Semop assemblyman Abdullah Saidol, who is also BNBBC Sarawak chairman, said it was time for the state to be given full autonomy in education so that it could utilise the federal government allocations to improve school infrastructure and facilities here.

He said it was so unfortunate to see so many schools in Sarawak in dilapidated condition.

“The condition of schools in Sarawak has always been the main issue raised by our members in their debate during the State Legislative Assembly sittings.

“I am surprised when told today that many schools in Sarawak are already in dilapidated condition,” he told a press conference after the Sarawak Education Consultancy Council meeting here yesterday.

Abdullah said if full autonomy in education was not given to Sarawak, it would be difficult for both the state government and the state Education Department to monitor the implementation of school projects – let alone improve their infrastructure.

He said all this while, the state government had been by-passed when it came to building new schools or upgrading old ones.

“We, in BNBBC, believe that if full autonomy in education were to be given to Sarawak, more could be done with the budget allocated to us.

“We also do not want the management of education in Sarawak to be remotely controlled by Putrajaya anymore.

“Things have not been going well with us. It’s time we have full control over the federal allocation for education in Sarawak,” he said.

Abdullah also appealed to the federal government to give more funds to Sarawak for the development of education, which had always been insufficient.

“Three years from now, you are going to call yourself a developed nation, yet over here the condition of schools is no better than those in undeveloped countries.

“Under the Malaysia Agreement, Article 15: Education, its states: ‘The existing education system should be maintained under the control of the state government’.

“Therefore, the federal government should return the power of autonomy to Sarawak in respect to education as a matter of principle. “