KUCHING, May 18: Seven schools in Mukah District and six in Dalat District are still without principals and headmasters, a concerning situation that needs urgent attention.
Tellian assemblyman Royston Valentine has called for immediate action to fill these top management positions in the affected schools.
“In Mukah District, the principal positions at SMK St Patrick and SMK Mukah remained unfilled, while there are five vacant headmaster positions at SK Sg Penipah, SK Kuala Balingian, SK Penakub Ulu, SK Sungai Duan and SJKC Chung Hua.
“In Dalat District, there is no principal for SMK Batang Igan, while five vacant headmaster positions at SK Sungai Rasau, SK Kampung Bungan, SK St Luke, SK Kampung Tanam, and SJKC San San,” he raised when debating the TYT’s Address in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting today.
Royston emphasised that these problems will have a harmful impact on pupils and students, especially in terms of school attendance records, which have already experienced a decline due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, he also highlighted that eight primary and two secondary schools in Mukah District are in dilapidated condition.
“At the same time, there is the problem of classes being overcrowded with 40-50 students in one class that occurred at SMK Mukah and SMK Three Rivers,” he said.
Additionally, Royston drew attention to the insufficient provision of school fields in the region. Out of the 33 primary and secondary schools in Mukah District, only 17 are equipped with school fields.
“There are 15 schools without fields. For secondary schools, only SMK Mukah has a field, but it cannot be fully used, while the field at SK Mukah also faces the same problem.
“The absence of school field made it very difficult for schools to hold extracurricular activities and had to rent facilities from other agencies,” he added. — DayakDaily
