SARAWAK Education Minister Michael Manyin has blamed former federal education ministers’ lack of political will for the poor condition of most state schools.

He said the ministers’ lackadaisical attitude towards education in the state led to a situation where 1,020 out of 1,454 schools are in disrepair.

“All these former education ministers would visit these schools. They would shed tears upon seeing the schools. All crocodile tears.

“When they return (to Putrajaya), they would forget what they had seen, and nothing was done. There was just no political will,” he said at a press conference after the state legislative assembly today.

Manyin said prior to the establishment of the state Education Ministry, issues relating to Sarawak schools were often “lost” at the lower levels of the federal Education Ministry, and the state education director did not have access to the highest level to raise the problems.

He said the state education director and other officers are just “ikan bilis” (small fry).

Earlier, he told the assembly that out of Sarawak’s 1,454 schools, 1,020 are dilapidated. Of the 1,020 schools, 415 are categorised as “critically dilapidated”, 428 do not have treated water supply, 371 do not have electricity and 721 are without road access.

He said 205 of the 415 “critically dilapidated” schools have been approved for rebuilding or upgrading under the 11th Malaysia Plan, and the remainder will be rebuilt using a special funding of RM1 billion over a two-year period.

“This amount is supposed to be over and above the approved 11th Malaysia Plan budget.” – July 17, 2018.