By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, May 8: SK Kampung Kujang Mawang in Tebedu will be used as a model project in Sarawak for a combined school, where it consisted of the small SK Tase, SK Gahat Mawang and SK Kujang Sain.
Minister for Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong said the model combined school would cost RM20 million because it needed the construction of a new school and boarding facilities for the students.
“Since the parents and the local communities in my area (Tebedu) have agreed for the combined school to be implemented, we will make SK Kampung Kujang Mawang as a model project. Now we are waiting for the necessary funding to implement it,” Manyin told a press conference after delivering his winding-up speech at the State Assembly (DUN) here today.
Currently, the state houses 651 small schools with a population of fewer than 150 pupils. However, these schools could not be combined due to objections from parents.
“We have asked the YBs to assist us on the issue but none of them has come back to us. So, we can’t proceed as the parents have not agreed,” he said.
Manyin stressed that with low student populations, these schools would get less allocation as the policy of the Ministry of Education was based on student population.
“In the West, small (school) is beautiful as students get better attention from their teachers but not here, where allocation is based on student population. So, if the student population is small, the allocation will also be very small. This has contributed to the low performance of such schools,” he lamented. — DayakDaily
