KUCHING: The Sarawak Teachers' Union (STU) has urged the Education Ministry and Sarawak government to set up a special working committee to resolve dilapidated school issues within the next one to two years.
STU president Adam Parkash Abdullah said the union has been requesting the authorities to look into old and run-down schools since the 1980s.
"It has been too long and it is time for the government to step up the process and stop coming up with excuses for not responding to our calls," he said.
"We have heard of the dangers posed by these dilapidated buildings and the latest news on a Year Two pupil at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Long Bemang in Baram who fell from the dilapidated school building is very sad."
"It is only fortunate that the student escaped with minor injuries and all we hear is of what is in plan for the school," he told New Straits Times.
STU, he said, hoped that urgent measures and immediate actions will be taken by all parties and authorities concerned to look into dilapidated schools.
"We hope to see action plans and not mere excuses again and again," he said.
"We now would like to urge the Education Ministry and Sarawak government to urgently set up a special working committee to make sure these issues are resolved within the next one to two years," he said.
It was reported that the government has identified 1,022 dilapidated schools throughout Sarawak to be repaired and upgraded.
Therefore, Adam said STU is confident that under the able leadership of the Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, the Sarawak government will push ahead with this project for the safety and comfort of our children and teachers.
Last week, Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin in a Facebook post said the tender process for the building construction and upgrading of facilities at SK Long Bemang in Baram will be made in February at the latest.
He said the move was taken following a report that a Year Two pupil of the school fell off a veranda after a rotten wooden railing gave way.
"As an immediate action, the Sarawak Education Department has provided an allocation for works for the replacement of wooden corridor railings and other minor repairs at the school which are now ongoing.
"The Education Ministry will ensure that the project at the school runs smoothly and the appointment of a contractor after the tender is opened will be finalised as soon as possible," he said in the post.
"The project was to provide more conducive and safe facilities for school children," he said adding that the school has already been included in the list of development or maintenance of dilapidated school building projects under the Education Ministry.
Meanwhile, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau said the Baram education district office is working with the villagers to identify a new site on higher ground to avoid the constant floods affecting the current location of the school.
