MELAKA: The Melaka State Education Department has received an allocation of RM15.7 million from the Education Ministry to carry out upgrading and minor maintenance works for the toilets at 225 primary and secondary schools in the state.
Its director Mohd Ghazali Ahmad said out of the total number of schools, the department has completed the upgrading of toilets at 215 schools within eight weeks, from Aug 18 to Oct 12.
"…we managed to do it in a short period and out of 225 schools, only 10 schools are still at the final stage for (upgrading) works with an approved value of RM70,000.
"We believe the project can be completed soon with a six-month defects liability period after the completion date," he told Bernama.
He further said out of the total allocation, RM6.16 million has been channelled to implement upgrading works at 88 schools in central Melaka and RM9.59 million has been distributed to the state Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) and the district and land offices in Jasin and Alor Gajah to cater to 137 schools in the two districts.
Mohd Ghazali said among the scope of work approved by the ministry are renovations and upgrading of toilets, renovations and upgrading of sewerage system, rewiring work and replacement of electrical equipment, procurement of toilet equipment and accessories besides other maintenance activities.
He said the one-off RM70,000 assistance provided to each government school is giving a fresh look to the school toilets in the country, adding that the allocation can be used according to the needs of each school.
"For example, the project at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kerubong involves other maintenance activities because it is a new school that was opened in June 2022. The school is allowed to use the allocation to upgrade other school facilities," he said.
On the selection of contractors, he said, it was done in line with the approval from the Finance Ministry.
He noted that the projects are jointly monitored by the Melaka Education Department, state development office as well as Jasin and Alor Gajah district and land offices.
He added that projects under relevant agencies are managed by assistant engineers appointed by the department heads, including himself. --BERNAMA