KOTA KINABALU: The announcement of a RM783 million allocation to repair dilapidated schools in Sabah and Sarawak under the 2020 Budget has been greeted with satisfaction and relief by local leaders.
Out of 1,300 primary and secondary schools in Sabah, 587 are in bad shape and in need of restoration, said Sabah Education and Innovation minister Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob.
“I am thankful that the government is positive in investing in education, especially (in fixing) dilapidated schools in the state.
“(The total cost to repair the) 587 schools – 91 of which have been declared unsafe – is RM3 billion. (But this will go some way towards achieving the goal of fixing Sabah’s schools),” he said.
As for Sabah receiving the highest 2020 Budget allocation of RM5.2 billion compared to other states, Yusof said the amount still falls short of what is required under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
“(But we) Sabahans are grateful to Finance Minister (Lim Guan Eng) for starting to understand the needs of Sabah.
“(For example), the increment in Sabah’s special allocation from RM26 million to RM52 million is a form of acknowledgment (of the state’s requirements)," he added.