Manyin (left) greets the community leaders and village chiefs at the event. On his left is the association president, Temenggong Henry Bujang Sadok.
SERIAN: Sarawak will continue to pursue the construction of centralised primary schools in the state under the new federal government.
Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin said these centralised primary schools, which take in pupils from under-enrolled schools, will have better facilities and an environment conducive for pupils to be more competitive and ready for challenges as they enter secondary school.
Speaking at a function here yesterday, Manyin said even Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg encouraged parents to support centralised school proposals since pupils from under-enrolled schools lack quality to succeed in secondary school despite passing their public examination in primary school.
Manyin disclosed that many of the 1,265 primary schools in the state are under-enrolled and located in rural areas, with eight schools identified to have pupil population of 10 or less, 43 primary schools with 11 to 20 pupils, 54 primary schools with 21 to 30 pupils, 196 primary schools with 31 to 50 pupils and 296 primary schools with 51 to 100.
“Some parents in rural areas question why their children cannot enter public institutions of higher learning like teachers institutes (IPGs).
“The entry requirement to enter IPG nowadays is not like before, you need at least 5As in SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) but not many students in rural areas are found to score many As in SPM.
“And the cause for this is the under-enrolled schools whereby the pupils may pass their subjects in primary school but they lack quality (when entering secondary school),” he said when officiating at the Serian Division Bidayuh Village Chiefs and Community Leaders Association triennial general meeting at Dewan Masyarakat Serian yesterday.
He also said that while developed countries such as New Zealand, Finland and Australia have many small schools, the situation there cannot be likened to the situation here because small schools in those countries receive equal treatment unlike in Malaysia.
“But here, small schools do not get equal attention and teachers are teaching non-option subjects.
“And in some small schools, they do not even have enough money to buy teaching tool because the small schools get small budget, and big schools get bigger budget,” he said.
Based on recent news reports, the proposal to build centralised schools in Sarawak was rejected by the previous Pakatan Harapan federal government under the RM1 billion contra loan repayment agreement to repair and upgrade dilapidated schools in Sarawak.
On a related matter, Manyin, who is also Tebedu assemblyman, said the state government through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research will proceed with the construction of the state’s first centralised school at Kujang Mawang.
He said this centralised school, which would accommodate pupils from SK Gahat Mawang, SK Kujang Sain, SK Kujang Mawang and SK Tesu, would be built at a cost of RM30 million.
Also present at the event were political secretary to the chief minister Dr Simon Sinang Bada, Serian Resident Tuah Suni and heads of department.
Manyin presented certificates of appreciation to those who had ceased to become community leaders and village chiefs.