PUTRAJAYA has a legal responsibility towards mission schools and should not marginalise them.

In a statement today, three mission schools said the government should provide, in its annual budget, an allocation for grant-in-aid to all the mission schools and cease the practice of non-adherence to the provisions of grant-in aid provided in the Education Act 1996.

The joint statement was issued by the La Salle Brothers Malaysia, Infant Jesus Sisters and Provincial Cannosian Sisters.

Last week, power supply to St Johns Institution was cut by Tenaga Nasional Bhd after the school failed to pay its power bill.

However, it was restored the same day after the school agreed to make a minimum payment of RM50,000.

The school had collected RM51,000 in donations to pay the bill.

In the statement, the mission schools said the practice of allocating limited grants for utility bills for mission schools was not a lasting solution and that such schools’ utility bills should be paid in full by the government.

It said the government is obligated to provide full support for mission schools, as set out in the Education Act 1996, Section 2 of which states that government-aided schools (including mission schools) shall receive full grant-in-aid.

It said such grant-in-aid shall include “Lain-lain perbelanjaan berulang tahun”, which is then used to pay utility bills in full.

“It is is wrong for the Education Ministry, in its press statement dated August 24, to suggest that it is prepared to assist missions schools subject to the government’s financial abilities, when it is their obligation to provide and pay for education,” the statement read.

The schools said the legal responsibilities of the federal government was clearly laid out in the law.

“This includes the responsibility to provide all mission schools with proper infrastructure and a conducive learning environment for both teachers and students, including provisions for furniture, upgrading of facilities and utilities.

“The state education departments, which are responsible for schools in their states, have failed to carry out their statutory obligations and provide adequately for missions schools in Malaysia.”

The schools also questioned why was there discrimination and disparity against them when the government occupied buildings on their land.

“The government is not being charged for occupying the land.

“Quit rent and assessments for the lands are paid by the mission schools’ owners.

“It is only proper for the government to pay for utilities, maintenance and upgrade of mission schools,” the statement said.

There are about 10,000 public schools in Malaysia, with mission schools making up approximately 4% of the total.

Of this, about 14% of mission schools (18) were ranked amongst the 135 highest performing schools in Malaysia last year. – August 30, 2018.