KUCHING: The Federal Government has allocated RM36.82 million to maintain and upgrade schools in Sarawak this year.
The allocation was derived from the RM500 million in Special Funds for School Upgrading and Maintenance, which was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when he tabled the 2018 Budget last year.
State Education Department, in a statement, said the sum was approved as the Federal Government is concern and wanted issues involving defects at schools in Sarawak to be resolved immediately.
“The allocation set aside for Sarawak would be exhausted to conduct upgrade and maintenance works at 534 national schools, 11 government-aided religious schools, five vocational colleges and technical schools as well as two boarding schools,” the statement said.
The department added the allocation under the special fund would be used to conduct a total of 833 maintenance and upgrading works for the schools in the state.
“A bulk of the allocation, which is RM10 million, will be used to repair roofs and rainwater channel drainage system at the schools.
“More than RM7 million to maintain wiring system and some RM6 million would be used to upgrade gates at the affected schools.
“A total of RM2.04 million will be used to upgrade toilet and piping system while RM1.27 million would be set-aside to improve sewage system for the schools in the state,” the statement said.