By Christopher Lidom
KUCHING, March 2: Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) Sarawak Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn has expressed disappointment with the federal allocation for education in Sarawak.
He pointed out that there are over 1,000 dilapidated schools in Sarawak, but the funds allocated would only be able to upgrade about 100 schools in poor and seriously bad shape.
“Furthermore, only one new school (SMK Dudong) was approved while there are several schools approved before this are not included for construction.
“So this (allocation) is just too little. But like I said, we are grateful that there is some allocation made for it,” he told reporters when met after presenting a Unit For Other Religion (Unifor) cheque to Sarawak missionary schools at a local hotel, here today.
Sagah, who is also Tarat assemblyman, thus hopes the Federal government will give a bigger allocation for Sarawak in the future.
“I think Sarawak deserves it, from what we have contributed to the federal coffers. We should be given more allocation,” he said.
He emphasised that the Sarawak government had set aside RM1 billion to upgrade and build schools previously, and even this was not sufficient.
In tabling the revised National Budget 2023 in Parliament on Feb 24, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an allocation of RM560 million to build seven new schools including one in Sarawak involving SMK Dudong, and an additional RM920 million to upgrade buildings and infrastructure of 380 dilapidated schools, especially in Sarawak and Sabah, via special funds for immediate implementation. — DayakDaily
