WITH a “friendlier” government in Putrajaya, Sarawak is optimistic of meeting its target to supply some 370 remote schools with treated piped water by 2025.

Assistant Utilities Minister Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi said these schools currently get their water supply from tube wells, rainfall, a gravity fed water system or have it trucked in from local treatment plants.

Upon their connection to the local water network, all 1,459 schools in the state would have access treated piped water.

Education and schools are the purview of the federal government but neglect has forced the state in recently years to step in to improve the learning environment.

Rahman said the state government had allocated RM9 million this and last year to get 34 schools connected to the local water network.

He said 26 of the schools are already connected and have piped water while the remaining eight are expected to have the same this year.

“Sarawak is committed to achieving the 100% target.”

Rahman said the state  Education, Science and Technological Research Ministry and Rural Water Supply Department would continue to collaborate with the federal government to achieve the 100% target by 2025.