Datuk Ahmad Lai Bujang
MIRI: Ten dilapidated primary schools in the Sibuti parliamentary constituency will be upgraded gradually starting next year.
Sibuti MP Datuk Ahmad Lai Bujang said all the 10 primary schools involved were old and urgently in need of immediate restoration.
“We will forward the names of these old and rundown schools to the attention of the state government so they will be upgraded or repaired next year,” he said yesterday.
He said although not all would be restored or upgraded at once, they would, nevertheless, be implemented in stages according to priority.
“The structure of the school building are being eaten by termites and is not safe to use. It threatens the safety of teachers and pupils,” he added.
He said the issue of dilapidated school was tabled and discussed in the Dewan Rakyat, especially schools in rural areas.
“We applaud the state government’s initiative in using its own funds to repair and upgrade rural schools beginning next year,”Ahmad Lai said.
The repair work will use funds from Development Bank of Sarawak (DBoS) as well as the federal and state governments.
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has agreed that Sarawak will use its own funds to upgrade rural schools,” he said.
Among the dilapidated schools in Sibuti are SK Niah, SK Sepupok Plan and SJK (C) Chung Hua Sungai Lumut.
“A few of these primary schools are sited on flood-prone areas,” Ahmad Lai said.
Meanwhile, the state government’s initiative to rehabilitate dilapidated schools in rural areas was praised by the state Democratic Action Party (DAP).
Its president Chong Chieng Jen said the state government’s initiative in using its own funds to repair the old school was commendable.