By Christine T
KUCHING, Sept 28: Overall implementation of dilapidated school projects for 1,200 schools in Sarawak has yet to reach 50 per cent as contractor and workforce constraints slow progress.
According to Minister for Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Sarawak Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, work on some of the identified schools was still ongoing, while other projects had yet to undergo the re-tendering process, affecting the overall implementation rate.
He said that the RM1 billion allocation the federal government previously provided to upgrade dilapidated schools Statewide had not been fully disbursed because of the time required for construction and contractors’ limited capacity to undertake the projects.
“We have fully utilised it, but it is due to capacity. The Public Works Department (JKR) is responsible for tendering the projects to contractors,” he said when met by reporters during the launching ceremony and certificate presentation of Sarawak Informal Education (IFE) recognition at the Land Custody and Development Authority Tower, The Isthmus, here today.
Sagah said JKR also had to assess the number of contractors available in Sarawak and their capacity to undertake the projects, and added that workforce availability was another factor affecting the implementation of school upgrading projects, particularly for general labour.
Meanwhile, he also hoped for an increased allocation to accelerate upgrading dilapidated schools and constructing new ones in the State under Budget 2027.
Sagah said the State government had already submitted funding requests for both categories.
“We hope for the best. Mainly, we want to see more funds for upgrading dilapidated schools and, of course, new schools that we have already requested,” he said.
Budget 2027 is scheduled to be tabled on Oct 9. — DayakDaily
