RM50 mln to connect power to 113 primary schools via grid

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Manyin presents the excellence award to a pupil in Serian. — Photo by Chimon Upon

SERIAN: The Sarawak government has approved RM50 million for connecting electricity to 113 primary schools throughout the state through the main grid.

Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong said the 113 schools were part of the 371 schools throughout Sarawak that had been identified to be still relying on generator for electricity supply.

“In view of that, the Sarawak Cabinet had decided that the 113 schools that are located near to the grid would be connected with 24-hour electricity supply through Sesco or Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB).

“An allocation of RM50 million had been approved by the Sarawak Cabinet to implement the project,” he said at the 22nd Serian-level Excellent Students Award presentation ceremony at the Serian Community Hall here yesterday.

Manyin, who is Tebedu assemblyman, said he had written to the federal Minister of Education about three months ago to seek his consent to implement the projects.

“I told him that the Sarawak government is prepared to fund the implementation of the electricity connection to 113 schools in Sarawak.

“But until today I have not received any reply from him, so we cannot connect these 113 schools.

“And because of that, these schools are still relying on generators,” he said.

Manyin said although the fund is ready, the state could not implement the project because schools are under the jurisdiction of the federal government.

“So we are waiting. The moment they say yes, we will connect these schools. The money is there; already approved by the Sarawak Cabinet,” he said.

Manyin also hoped that the Sarawak government will allocate some funds under the Sarawak Budget 2019, which will be tabled at the State Legislative Assembly next month, to repair and build some of the dilapidated schools in Sarawak.

Despite working under the various shortcomings, Manyin reminded headmasters and teachers not to wait for good facilities to carry out their duty because if they do so they will never improve the academic performance of their students.

He noted that these shortcomings had been there for a long time even when he was a teacher.

“But we keep working and try to improve the performance of our students and try to motivate our students to excel in their studies.

“If we keep waiting, may be 10 years from now the schools will not be repaired and our children’s academic performance will never improve,” he said.