KUCHING: The Ministry of Education will be giving priority to repairing dilapidated schools in Sarawak and Sabah next year, said its minister Dr Maszlee Malik.
Maszlee pointed out that based on Budget 2020 that was tabled on Oct 11, the government is ready to allocate RM783 million to repair dilapidated schools throughout the country.
Out of the RM783 million allocation, a total of RM350 million will be allocated to repair the dilapidated schools in Sarawak, while Sabah will be allocated RM228.5 million for the same purpose.
“The Ministry of Education is currently mobilising to improve and repair 85 dilapidated schools in Malaysia. The government, through Budget 2020, is ready to distribute RM783 million to repair them.
“Priority will be given to the schools located in Sabah and Sarawak as it is important to ensure that our children in Borneo have access to quality education,” Maszlee said in a Facebook post today.
While admitting that there are schools in the country that are in dilapidated state, he said it is the ministry and people’s commitment to realise the people’s right to education, so that it can be achieved by the students.
“We have to admit that we still have schools that are in a dilapidated state. The facilities are incomplete, small number of students, and they are placed deep in the inland.
“It is the ministry and the Malaysian’s commitment to realise the right to education so that it can be achieved by our children, regardless of those in the city, at the countryside, or the inland,” he added.