SOME RM300mil of the RM1 Billion Advance Payment to Federal Government has been used thus far to upgrade and repair dilapidated schools in Sarawak.
Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn pointed out that even though funds had been allocated to the schools, the money had not been utilised yet due to various reasons.
“For instance, schools that have been identified because they are in bad shape but would involve relocation. When it comes to relocation, there is a need to reevaluate the allocation.
“Of course, we say do not make the Covid-19 pandemic as an excuse, but it is the reality of things, particularly during the enforcement of movement restrictions and the difficulty of getting workers in.
“These are the things that have delayed implementation,” he said during a press conference after his ministerial winding-up speech on Tuesday (May 24).
When asked about the plans by the state government to allocate more money for this, Sagah clarified that the ministry would take the matter up with the federal government first.
He stated that the state government had stepped in and assisted through, among others, the Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA) and Projek Rakyat.
“We have already spent RM140mil under Projek Rakyat and RM160mil under RECODA. Some of the elected representatives are using their Rural Transformation Project (RTP) funds to assist.”
Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation, and Talent Development, Dr Annuar Rapaee disclosed that a total of 455 dilapidated schools had been covered under various school repair, rebuild or relocation projects.
He said out of the number, 245 projects had been completed while another 565 dilapidated schools were still under consideration for future development.
