KUCHING, Sept 17 — The Education Ministry will prioritise the refurbishment of 19 Sawarak schools that are delayed, Maszlee Malik pledged today.

The education minister blamed the problem on the Barisan Nasional administration and said the issue was already there when he became the education minister.

"This is the federal government’s commitment to Sarawak,” he told reporters after visiting the new blocks of SMK Sungai Tapang in Kota Sentosa, near here.

The minister vowed to personally monitor progress and said he would not compromise on the quality of the construction and the projects were being undertaken for the benefit of the students and teachers.

Maszlee added that his ministry will ensure that the repairs are on schedule and explained that 37 schools here will be redeveloped under the first phase of the programme this year.

Contracts to repair seven of these schools have been awarded via tender while the rest will be issued in December, he said.

On new blocks for SMK Sungai Tapang, he said the contractors have assured him these would be completed by the end of this year.

Construction on the RM34.82 million school blocks started during the previous government.