WORKS Minister Baru Bian today said he believed the delay in repairs to Sarawak’s dilapidated schools was due to a slow administrative process rather than any disagreement over a merger process, as suggested yesterday by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“I don’t think (that) should be the reason for the delay,” Baru said in Kuching today.

Lim yesterday said work to repair the first 16 schools – among the 1,545 schools identified as run down – was delayed due to the federal government’s row with Sarawak over the latter’s proposal to merge the schools because of poor enrolment.

The state Education Department wants the dilapidated schools with a low pupil intake in the same areas to be shut down in favour of a new centralised school which would be built anew.

Speaking to reporters after presenting letters of appointment to 19 Pakatan Harapan parliamentary co-ordinators, Baru said while the matter of centralising the schools was being sorted out, repairs to other schools could proceed. .

“Implementation must be done within a reasonable time.”

The proposal to merge some of the schools has raised fears that the new school could be located too far from the homes of some of the pupils, causing them to drop out. 

Baru said he opposed the idea of a centralised school based on his personal experience as a rural schoolboy.

“I come from the village and I understand the situation faced (by parents and) pupils in Sarawak’s rural schools.

“If you want to merge them, (there) will be a big problem for many (of these) young children.”

He said the federal government would not agree with the mergers unless they were “very, very necessary” and had the consent of the parents.

Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg earlier this week said “not a single school has been fixed” in the RM350 million project.

The letter of contract award for the repair of the first two schools – SK Abang Amin, Meradong and SK Abun Matu, Belaga – was issued on January 14 last year but the sites were only handed over last week on February 13. – February 21, 2020.