SARAWAK Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Michael Manyin has dismissed the RM1 billion allocation for repairs to dilapidated schools in the state as “just not enough”.

“We need RM4 billion,” Manyin said.

Manyin said the RM1 billion could probably fix 40 to 50 schools while there were 1,020 schools in a rundown state in Sarawak.

More than half of the country’s 2,000 dilapidated schools in need of upgrading and refurbishing are in Sarawak, Prime Minister Najib Razak disclosed while tabling the budget yesterday.

The prime minister said RM2.5 billion would be spent over two years on repairing these school.

Of the sum, RM500 million is for schools in Peninsular Malaysia, RM1 billion to Sabah and another RM1 billion to Sarawak.

Speaking to reporters after presenting scrolls at the national dual training system (Sistem Latihan Dual Nasional) convocation in Kuching, Manyin said of the 1,020 dilapidated schools, 415 were considered critically dilapidated and beyond repair. 

“This means we have to build a new school.”

Manyin said in his discussions with the state Public Works Department, it had emerged that it could cost RM20 million to build a school, complete with a boardinghouse.

He said costs would vary according to logistics and if land had to be acquired.

Manyin, who said he was “not surprised” at the inadequate allocation, said he had decided, for a start, to build one school in each of Sarawak’s 31 parliamentary constituencies.

He said small dilapidated schools with low enrolment that were supposed to be shut down but were kept open by parents who refused to send their children elsewhere would not be repaired.

“No point repairing (the schools).”

On the use of the industrial building system (IBS) recommended in the budget, Manyin said he is still assessing the option.

“It might be quick but transport to rural areas could make the school expensive.

“Then there is the question of maintenance. IBS maintenance can be very expensive.

“So I have to discuss with the experts whether to use the conventional way of repairing the schools or use IBS.”

On the proposed Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) centre to develop the latest learning methods to train STEM specialist teachers, Manyin said the state would propose to the federal cabinet that the centre be sited at the former teachers’ training college in Bintangor in central Sarawak.

The prime minister yesterday said the centre would utilise existing facilities at teachers training institute in collaboration with Academy of Science Malaysia.

The Bintangor teachers training college is one of two in Sarawak – the other in Miri – that the Higher Education Ministry ordered close due to low enrolment.

They are among nine in the country that would have to close by 2020.

The Sarawak government had initially objected to the closure on the ground that it needed more locally trained teachers to achieve the target of having 90% of Sarawak teachers in state schools.

It later acceded to the ministry’s rationale and while the Miri training college would be converted to a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college, no decision had been taken on the Bintangor college’s future. – October 28, 2017.