MUKAH: Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong lamented that there are neither plans nor allocations for additional schools in Sarawak although the state is in dire need of more schools.
In an interview with New Sarawak Tribune recently, Manyin said that education was under the purview of the federal government, hence the state government could not do much in the area of constructing much needed schools.
He questioned how much longer Sarawak has to endure the unfair treatment by the federal government, previously led by Barisan Nasional (BN) and now Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Manyin said for the sake of education and the future of Sarawakians, the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government had come up with an initiative to construct its own schools, albeit international schools.
The first of five such schools is expected to be operational next year at Mile 12 near Kuching.
“Another school will be constructed near the Sarawak Heart Centre in Samarahan while the other three will be in Sibu, Miri and Bintulu,” he said.
Manyin said the fully residential schools would give priority to students from the B40 families (low income group) where 70 per cent of the students would be from the rural areas.
He said the construction of the international schools was the brainchild of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in creating technocrats from among Bumiputera children especially from the rural areas.
