BY AMYRA VARKISA
DARO: The reconstruction project of Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Penasu here has been approved and is expected to be completed by September next year.
Sarawak Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee said the refurbishment is necessary because of the increasingly dilapidated condition of the building and safety concerns arising from underground erosion at the school site.
“The critical issue with the old school building is caused by erosion. Hence, the Public Works Department (JKR) and the authorities have informed us that the condition of the site is no longer safe,” he said.
Dr Annuar also said the Sarawak government fully funded the construction cost of the new school, amounting to RM45 million, along with an additional allocation of RM1 million for the construction of a new school field.
He said this during his official visit to the new SK Penasu construction site yesterday (June 7).
The new SK Panasu will have comprehensive facilities, including an increased number of classrooms, a library, science laboratories, computer rooms, a prayer room, student hostels, two preschool blocks, teachers’ quarters, and 12 housing units for staff members.
Meanwhile, addressing the concerns of parents on their children’s safety, Daro assemblyman Safiee Ahmad said that the District Education Office (PPD) Daro will issue transfer notices for students to nearby schools if the situation worsens while awaiting the new school to be completed.
He urged parents to comply with the transfer instructions for the safety of their children.
“If the situation does not permit and we need to relocate students for their safety, parents must provide full support to the authorities,” he said.
Also present during the visit were Deputy Resident of Mukah Division Safree Saili, District Officer of Daro Bujang Rahman Seli, and District Education Officer of Matu and Daro Yusri Azhar Abdullah.
