Azmi (second left) presents a token of appreciation to Dr Annuar, while (from left) Khairuddin, Siaw and Radin look on.
SIBU: Assistant Minister for Education, Science and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee is confident that the issue of dilapidated schools will soon be solved with the federal and state governments working hand-in-hand.
“About 70 per cent of the schools in Sarawak are considered as dilapidated. There are 1,020 dilapidated schools in Sarawak. We are working together with Ministry of Education (MoE). In fact, MoE under Dr Maszlee Malik’s leadership has been very helpful in working together to resolve this issue.
“Therefore, do not politicise this issue anymore,” he said during Yayasan Sarawak Excellent Students’ Award 2019 prize presentation ceremony at UCTS here on Saturday.
Dr Annuar, who is also Assistant Minister of Housing and Public Health, added that the state government is willing to use the proposed RM1 billion contra loan for repairs of dilapidated schools.
For the record, 415 schools are classified as ‘severely dilapidated’.
He added that state government through Yayasan Sarawak will be the first state to establish five international schools for Form One to Form Five with English as the medium of instruction, leading to General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) to prepare excellent students for further their studies overseas or locally.
On another matter, he stated that Sarawak is the only state willing to accept teaching of Maths and Science in English.
“The federal government does not have enough money to train the teachers initially and Sarawak government agreed to spend RM11 million from the next year onwards to prepare teachers, books and other materials in English. We will start from Primary 1 next year.”
Dr Annuar also urged parents particularly, Bumiputeras to put more emphasis on their children’s education after presenting awards to 248 excellent students in Sibu Division who excelled in last year’s SPM and STPM examinations.
Among those present were Yayasan Sarawak director Azmi Bujang, UCTS vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Khairuddin Ab Hamid, Sibu Resident Charles Siaw and Sibu Education Officer Radin Foji Radin Abdul Rahim.