SIBU, July 28 ― The tragic death of young teacher, Catherine Janet Tiwi in a fire incident at SK Batu Bungan in Mulu on Wednesday should be the last wake-up call for both state and federal governments to work together to install and upgrade all the basic necessities of all rural schools in Sarawak.
For this, Bukit Assek state assemblywoman Irene Chang had urged the state Education Ministry to set up a Health and Safety Committee with an advisory role to the federal ministry.
“This committee should consist of local stakeholders working in tandem with both the state and federal ministries and has the authority to participate in the annual visual inspection of the schools concerned,” she said at a press conference at DAP Sibu headquarters here today.
She said, in the just concluded Sarawak State Legislative Assembly sitting, the august house was informed by Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong that there were 428 rural schools in the state which had yet to have treated water supply and 371 schools which were still fully dependent on generator sets.
There were also 1,020 schools which were in dilapidated condition which had contributed to mishaps like the collapsed hostel at SK Punan Ba in Belaga in 2011.
“While it is now good that the new Education Minister is brainstorming on school reforms and policies, I urge the Education Ministry of the new Pakatan Harapan government to put their priorities right especially where it concerns the schools in the rural and interiors of Sarawak.
“These schools require a much more urgent attention of being provided with the basic necessities of clean water, 24-hour supply of electricity and proper schools structures with good facilities rather than policy reforms,” she said.
Although it was still not known what had caused the fire at SK Batu Bungan which killed 25-year-old Catherine and injured two other teachers, Chang said the Education Ministry had to realise that the appalling conditions of most of the rural schools were potential health hazards to both teachers and students.
On Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s remark in a local daily recently that said he did not understand why the federal Education Ministry was not taking proactive measures to connect schools to available power grid but chose to use diesel-powered generators, Chang said it was misleading and inappropriate.
She said Abang Johari should know that the problem of dilapidated schools and lack of basic necessities was the result of poor administration of both the previous BN federal and state governments. ― Bernama
