KOTA KINABALU: Students of 1 Bestari at Sekolah Kebangsaan Darau continue to attend classes amidst concerning safety hazards in the classroom.
During a visit by Sabah Education Exco Datuk Mohd Arifin Arif at 3.30pm, pupils were observed sitting under a dangling wire connected to a poorly installed ceiling fan.
The classroom, also shared with 4 Bestari pupils during the morning session, is part of the wooden blocks that have been in use for over two decades.
The school, accommodating 1,377 pupils, employed these aging structures for two sessions daily, pointing to the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades.
"This school has always received attention from the Education Department from time-to-time, but there are classrooms declared as Scale 7 that require new buildings.
"These blocks have been declared as Scale 7 since last December. We have proposed a three-story building with 36 classrooms.
"I hope that the federal government will make the project construction a reality and a priority," he said.
Mohd Arifin said the Education Department has applied for RM500,000 for maintenance at the school, which includes wiring work.
He hoped for a swift allocation from the federal government to address these critical issues.
When questioned about the role of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in expediting maintenance, he suggested that the PTA could collaborate with the Education Department after informing them of their intentions.
Mohd Arifin, who also serves as the state Science, Technology, and Innovation minister, disclosed that his ministry had allocated funds for the school's science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) section.
Present during the visit was Sabah Education director Raisin Saidin.