By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 5: Eleven rural schools in Sarawak are set to receive a new tube well water supply this year, ensuring improved access to clean water for students and staff.
According to a TVS news report, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh stated that the initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Sarawak government, and the Public Works Department (JKR).
He revealed that since 2021, RM94.5 million has been allocated for the construction and installation of tube well water systems in rural schools across Sabah and Sarawak.
“A total of 90 schools have been identified for the project—79 in Sabah and 11 in Sarawak.
“Construction is ongoing, with an average physical progress of 59.85 per cent for 64 schools, which are expected to be completed this year,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Wong was responding to a question from Datuk Larry Sng Wei Shien (Parti Bangsa Malaysia–Julau) on MOE’s efforts to ensure clean water supply for rural schools, particularly those without access to treated water.
Wong added that the project aligns with the Malaysia Education Development Plan (2013-2025), which mandates that all schools, regardless of size or location, must have adequate infrastructure to create a safe and conducive learning environment.
“As of last year, 117 tube well systems in rural Sabah and Sarawak schools were decommissioned as the schools were either connected to public water supply, relocated, or closed.
“Currently, 302 rural schools in the two states still rely on tube well systems, which are maintained through the Rural Schools Tube Well Maintenance Service Project managed by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID),” he said.
The minister also disclosed that the government allocated RM30.6 million last year for the maintenance of these systems, with the amount set to increase to RM40 million in 2025. — DayakDaily
